The Strategy of Chaos
by Dengirl
Summary: Through chaos comes war.
1. Chapter 1

_I was a Time Lord once...I think._

_I used to love them...or did I?_

_He says they are just dreams...but I'm not sure._

_All I'm sure of is the Chaos._

The planet screamed as it tore itself apart, brightening the darkness of space for a few seconds.

Dust flew, urged on by the waves of destruction that pushed their way outwards.

In a distant part of this particular system, far away from the dangers of the dying world a small craft hovered.

Inside the craft a figure sat at one of the screens and watched as numbers flowed across the screen.

A small smile flitted across the figures face and he tapped at a keyboard, and the figures on the screen began to slow down.

"Come and look at this," the figure said.

Another figure stopped what he was doing and moved over to where the other figure was sitting.

The figure, who was considerably older than the other looked at the numbers as they moved down.

"Excellent, it's more powerful than I thought, well done, I think this calls for a celebration. Leave this for tonight, we'll return to base and make dinner for eight."

The other figure nodded and switched off the screen.

The older man moved towards the door.

"Bring my jacket will you," he said.

The other figure nodded and as he walked towards the door he picked up a white coat that was sitting on a chair, along with his own pinstriped one.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack watched as another group of aliens were escorted to the Rift. This was the third group this week, all from the same star system, all saying the same thing...they were all refugees.

He spotted Ianto and walked over.

"Is that all of them?" he asked as the Rift began to close.

Ianto finished writing before answering. "For the moment, if this keeps on we won't be able to cope. UNIT are pressing us for an explanation."

Jack took the clipboard from Ianto and looked at the list.

"Whatever's happening out there it's getting closer to us. I'll have to call the..."

His voice trailed off.

"I'll be in Storage Level Four if you need me," he said to Ianto and turned away, hardly hearing the sound of the Rift as it closed.

Ianto watched as Jack walked away from him, He sighed and closed his eyes, and as he did flashes of that day at the airfield returned.

There had been silence after the shuttle had left. An awful dead silence...until Jack let out a gut-wrenching sob.

"No, no, no...not again... not again!" he'd cried and had collapsed to his knees.

That had been a month ago and Jack had only just come back to this reality...a reality where they were without a Time Lord and no nearer to finding him or the man that had once again taken him.

Jack had torn the city...no the world apart in his search for the Doctor and White Coat, but a month down the line neither he nor the rest of them were near to finding either.

Martha had gone back to London, her duties at UNIT forcing her to leave, but with promises to return if...well they knew.

But there was no news and now Martha was abroad and getting on with her life, and here in Cardiff they had been pre-occupied by the stream of alien 'refugees' pouring through the Rift.

Ianto had been glad of the distraction, it had brought Jack back from the brink of whatever precipice he had been teetering on.

That was until the almost mentioned name, and Ianto had seen the grief pass over Jack's face once more.

He sighed, watched as the Rift closed and walked slowly back to the Hub.

* * *

Jack carefully opened the door to the storage area, his hand twitched at the memory of the last time he'd tried to get near the TARDIS.

It had taken his hand at least two days to get any feeling back into it, and another three days to heal.

He didn't blame her, she was suffering in her own way...linked as she was to him...knowing that he was out there, but unable to touch him.

He felt the psychic warning even before he'd closed the door...stay away.

Ignoring the warning he stepped right up to TARDIS but didn't try to touch it, feeling the static charge building in the air.

He sighed and stepped back a pace.

"I know you're angry at me, and I don't blame you. I should have looked after him better."

There was rumble from the TARDIS and it sounded angry.

"I should have killed him the first time."

There was another rumble from the TARDIS.

"I know he wouldn't want that, but none of this would have happened. He'd be here, and instead of you keeping me away, he'd be telling me not to flirt with you."

The TARDIS rumbled again, but this time it was quieter, almost gentle.

Jack smiled as he felt the static charge drop away and gave the blue wood a gentle stroke.

"It's a start, but I need to get inside."

There was another rumble, a bit more agitated again.

"Come one, you must have sensed the Rift opening...he's not here to help us, but you can."

There was silence for a few seconds and then there was an audible click and the door swung open.

"Thank you," Jack said quietly and stepped inside.

He was expecting to see the warm gold and greens of the interior, but what he found made him heartsick.

Gone were the gentle hues, replaced by an oily black and purple half light.

"Oh baby, what have you done to yourself," he breathed.

He walked slowly up the ramp, not enjoying the feeling of the rails. They were warm and seemed to be slick with some sort of liquid...was the TARDIS crying?

As he approached the consol the light shifted from oily black to red and then became pitch black.

Jack stopped moving, unsure of his footing, hoping that at least the black/purple light would return.

Then he heard it...faint at first, but within seconds the noise became ear-splitting.

Jack clamped his hands over his ears as the screaming grew in pitch until his senses were overloaded and darkness took him.

* * *

The shuttle landed and the two figures stepped out.

The older figure started to walk towards the building a few yards away from the landing pad.

He stopped when the younger figure didn't follow.

He turned and frowned.

"Are you alright?" he asked, walking back to the figure.

The younger figure blinked several times and shook his head.

"Just a little tired. Would it be okay if I skipped dinner?"

The older figure looked at the younger figure intently, as if looking for something.

"Of course, it's only been a month since your abduction, I've pushed you too hard. In fact there's no need for you to work tomorrow. It will take time for the data to be analysed. Why don't you go into the city, and have some me time."

The younger figure sighed then smiled at the older man.

"Yeah, it's just..."

The older man put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I know you're still scared that he's out there, but what are the chances of him being there."

"You're right, I will go."

The older figure watched the younger figure as he stood by the shuttle...something was not right, he thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by his mobile trilling for attention.

"What is it?" he said testily.

He listened for a few moments, a scowl forming on his face.

"Tell them it will be ready when it is ready, and if they don't like it tell them to talk to me personally. My name, tell them to ask for White Coat."


	3. Chapter 3

The train ride into the city had been long, very hot and incredibly boring, and he found himself becoming claustrophobic.

He was just grateful that the voice in his head had died away, probably due to the medication he'd taken that morning.

He looked round the newly refurbished St Pancras station, but was not in the slightest bit impressed by it. Just because an ape can hold a paintbrush, doesn't mean it can produce a masterpiece.

With a sniff of disinterest he walked towards the exit for the underground, and as he did a wicked thought crossed his mind.

* * *

Ianto had only just turned on the TV when the newsflash caught his attention.

"As yet, the fire service cannot determine where the fire started, and as we speak the rescue is ongoing. It is not known if there are any fatalities, but there reported to be many injured. We will bring you more news when we receive it."

Ianto watched the screen with mild interest, watching the busy but efficient emergency services behind the on-scene reporter.

He was about to turn it off when something caught his attention. He felt a chill go through him and then he felt incredibly hot.

Behind the barriers looking intently at the organised panic was...it couldn't be. He blinked and looked again, but whatever he'd seen was gone.

He shook his head; he must have imagined it...why would he be there?

Shrugging his shoulders he picked up the paperwork he'd been about to file and disappeared down into filing.

* * *

In Storage level Four the inside of a blue wooden box brightened and a figure stirred.

Jack felt like his head had been put through a particularly bad-tempered wringer, and every muscle protested when he tried to lift himself off the floor.

The scream had filled his whole consciousness.

He sat up, shaking his head, trying to make sense of it. He could only think of one word to describe it...chaos.

It was then that he noticed that the TARDIS interior was once more the colours it should be...what did that mean?

He wouldn't let himself think that one thing...perhaps the TARDIS had cured what was wrong with her.

Resting against the railings he allowed himself a few deep breaths...he'd come here for something, what was it?

He shrugged...couldn't have been important and giving the TARDIS console a pat he wandered down the ramp and out of door.

* * *

The TARDIS let out the equivalent of a sigh; at least she'd managed to stop him using her.

He couldn't let him know what had really happened...let him think they were refugees from some war.

Let Jack Harkness think that his Time Lord was lost, it was better than letting him suffer the agony of the truth.

She shuddered once more when she remembered what she'd felt when she'd finally managed to touch the mind of her Time Lord.

It had frightened her...there was nothing but darkness and chaos.

* * *

After the little distraction of setting fire to that ugly train station, he found his mood had lightened.

He was now walking up Oxford Street, his step much lighter now. He stopped at a coffee shop, ordered a cappuccino and sat outside and watched the people scurrying by.

Rats, he thought, they were like rats... and he hated rats.

Enjoy your sewers while you can he thought...before chaos...no Chaos descends.

He glanced over at the other side of the street and his eyes widened in shock...no, it couldn't be...not here!

He felt a wave of panic wash over him and he felt his heart flutter in that odd double heartbeat caused by a defect he'd had from birth.

He stood up and for a moment he lost sight of the cause of his panic...no wait, there.

He felt something other than panic...he felt anger.

With eyes now locked like lasers, he followed his intended target, keeping pace on his side of the road.

He saw his target turn off and down a smaller road.

He could hear his rescuer's voice in his head. "Let me deal with them, it will be too much for you."

Ignoring the voice, he hurried across the road and began following his target. It wasn't the one he really wanted, but it would be a start.

* * *

She hadn't expected to be in London, but the job with UNIT had been completed early, so instead of hanging round a very boring military base she'd decided to come home early and get in some much needed retail therapy.

She turned off Oxford Street and headed for the small private car park that she used when she had time to shop.

She'd only walked a few yards when she got that feeling...the one you had when you thought someone was following you. She stopped and looked round, but there were only shoppers and shop workers.

Sighing, she shook her head; this job was making her paranoid.

She continued walking and turned into the car park.

She stopped again, that feeling rising again. She looked round, but this time there was turned back and jumped when she heard something behind, probably a rat she thought.

However, that feeling wouldn't go felt in her pocket for her car keys and began looking for her car. She spotted it and she increased her pace, anxious to get inside its relative felt relieved when she reached her car and placed her bags on the roof and reached for her keys.

She only had time for a muffled squeak as a hand covered her mouth.

She was about to put her UNIT training to good use when a voice that almost stopped her heart breathed into her ear.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you again Martha Jones."


	4. Chapter 4

Martha stopped breathing, shock causing her muscles to lose their strength and the arms that held her up were far from gentle.

"Scared of me now are you Miss Jones, now I'm healthy enough to resist your persuasions."

Martha trembled at the tone in the voice of someone she counted as a friend. It frightened her, the tone of his voice.

It was cold and full of hatred...hatred for her.

From somewhere she found the strength to resist his grip, but that made his hold even tighter, to the point of pain.

She found herself turned and slammed against her own car with bruising force, and for the first time she looked into the eyes of her assailant.

She knew what to expect, but it still took her by surprise. The tousled brown hair, the same pale complexion with a smattering of freckles. But that was where it ended.

All she could focus on were his eyes. Yes they were still that velvet chocolate colour, but that was it.

There was no gentleness, no sadness at the back of them. They were cold, full of spite and the potential for cruelty.

She swallowed hard and found her voice. "Doctor, it's good to see you, it's been a while."

* * *

The growl that answered her words silenced her. "Don't even speak to me. I know what you did me, and you have the gall to call yourself a doctor. Well your little plan didn't work, I'm still me, but you do owe me."

Martha's heart stopped as the Doctor weight pressed against her, and she tried to turn her head away but it was wrenched back.

The last time the Doctor had kissed her, back at Royal Hope, it had been unexpected and more than a little pleasurable...but not this kiss.

This kiss made her skin crawl and made fear rise in her gut. This kiss held something other than pleasure, for her at least.

As the kiss became more insistent and harder, her survival instinct kicked in and she brought her knee up, hard and fast, and shoved at the same time.

Not waiting to see if her attack had the desired effect, she bolted, heading for the main street.

She flinched when she heard her name roared out, but kept on running...she was dead if she didn't.

* * *

He really should have anticipated her reaction, but like a fool he let his baser side take control. He should have just killed her, not toyed with her first.

Trying not to focus on the pain radiating from his groin, he wiped the tears from his eyes and hauled himself up. He wasn't surprised to see that his little bird had flown.

"Martha Jones!" he roared, not caring if anyone heard him and set off in pursuit.

As he ran a thought ran through his head. Why had she called him Doctor, when she knew his real name?

He reached the corner of the street that joined onto Oxford Street, but could see no sign of her, his little bird was lost to the crowd of shoppers.

He stepped back, suddenly nervous of the crowds, unsure of whether to follow and try to find her in the crowds.

The decision was made for him when his phone rang...it was his rescuer and he wasn't happy.

* * *

"I take it the incident at St. Pancras was your doing, and don't lie to me. One of the staff saw you on the news bulletin. Come home now, it was a mistake to tell you to go."

For some reason he was riled by the tone of his voice and for the first time that he could recall, he disobeyed.

"No," he said.

There was few seconds delay on the other end of the phone.

"What do you mean no, you will come home now."

"No," he said and turned off his phone, dropping it to the floor.

White Coat scowled at the dead phone tone and threw his phone across his office. He pressed a button on his desk.

"Get me my Security Chief!" he roared.

* * *

He swallowed a few times, just to settle his stomach; he'd never defied him before.

That was another thing he was going to have to take up with him, another thing to add his reasons for revenge. All the nightmares he'd suffered about that night.

When he found him, and he would find him, he would make Captain Jack Harkness suffer before he killed him.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a UNIT deep space satellite that sensed it first, moving slowly across the black velvet of space. The camera whirred as the onboard camera began taking pictures.

The onboard computer made its calculations and decided that whatever it was, it couldn't exist. It had no mass, no weight. No light shone from it and it swallowed the stars in front of it and left nothing in its wake.

But being a computer it did as it was programmed to do and began transmitting its findings. It didn't panic when the thing that had no mass or weight swallowed it, and its transmission stopped.

The thing that had no weight or mass carried on, slowly and steadily devouring stars, and began heading for the Pluto.

* * *

He stood against the wall, still trying to steady his heart, the echo of the murmur in his ear. As he stood there, the realization that he'd defied him sank in, the thought crossed his mind as to why Martha Jones had called him Doctor.

That was a false identity they'd tried to brainwash him with...wasn't it? He closed his eyes, trying to rid himself of such thoughts, but to his consternation other images flashed through his mind.

Images of someone in a White Coat, his rescuer, and what was he doing...to him?

A searing pain flashed across his body and new images and memories flooded into his mind. Images of pain, anger, sorrow, and rage mixed with that of the face of someone he thought was his rescuer and... Harkness!

He let out a cry of despair and sank to the ground...his whole world crumbling around him.

He let a shuddering sob and then he stopped as new thoughts entered his head, dark murderous thoughts and he felt his hearts race in response.

He opened his eyes and gone were the brown eyes that could be so expressive, replaced by black orbs, as dark as obsidian. Now he knew what he was, he was a Time Lord and he wanted revenge.

He stood up, looked round and began sniffing the air, searching for something...yes, there it was...his little bird...she hadn't flown far.

He straightened his coat and walked out onto Oxford Street. He walked along the street, occasionally sniffing the air, until he stopped outside a large department store.

He smiled; his little bird had flown into a cage.

With a smile he entered the shop, found the escalator and took it three steps at a time. He ignored the looks of the staff and customers as he casually strolled through the lingerie department.

He stopped and looked round, just to make sure no-one was looking and pushed the door to the ladies toilets open and stepped in. They looked empty, but he knew she was there.

He stopped, noticed a chair next to the door. He picked it up and wedged the door with it.

He them moved to the first row of cubicles, ignoring the ones with fully open doors. When he came to one that was only half open, he kicked it open, almost taking the door of its hinges.

It was then he heard a small sound off to his left. With a cold smile he moved to the second row of cubicles and slowly moved down them. He stopped in front of one, sniffed and with a snarl, he kicked the door.

* * *

Martha didn't stop running until she hit Oxford Street, and still didn't stop until she reached the safety of the nearest and largest shop. She pushed through the doors, ignoring the indignant protests of fellow shoppers. She chanced a look behind and then slowed to a fast walk.

It wasn't until she'd reached the ladies room that she finally stopped and sank to the floor, exhausted.

Of all the places she'd expected to find him, Oxford Street was not on her list at all, and he was a twisted as before...this would break Jack's heart. Steadying her racing heart, she went into one of the cubicles and half-closed the door.

She went to take her phone out, when she heard the door to the ladies open.

Her heart began to race again, when she heard the scraping of a chair, and then the sounds of footsteps.

She'd just pressed speed dial when the sound of a door splintering made her squeak in alarm.

She held her breath as the footsteps came closer and put the phone to her ear. She heard Jack answering and then her world became splintering wood.

* * *

Jack had only just sat down when his mobile rang. Sighing he looked at the caller ID and smiled. "Martha Jones, nice to have the sunshine call."

Any answer Martha would have given was lost in the sound of something being broken.

"Martha? Martha?"

The voice he heard when the sound died away wasn't Martha's

"Hello again Harkness, I assume this is you. I'm afraid Miss Jones is a little busy, she'll call you later. We have a lot to discuss."

Jack tried to speak, but he found himself mute, the voice was like a ghost speaking in his ear.

"What, the famous Captain Jack Harkness lost for words. That's a first. Perhaps we'll talk later."

There was the sound of a female's frightened whimper.

Jack found his voice. "No, wait, please!"

There was what sounded like an annoyed huff of air on the other end of the phone. "What now Harkness, me and Miss Jones are about to get reacquainted."

"Doctor, no!" Jack cried, but there was no answer, only the sounds of a struggle beginning.

* * *

The Doctor reached for Martha and almost had his hand on her hair when there was a banging at the door to the ladies.

"You in there, unblock this door, or we'll break it down!" a male voice shouted.

The Doctor growled in response. "All these interruptions, our first date will have to wait Martha Jones."

He stepped away and moved towards one of the walls. He took out his sonic and ran it quickly over the wall.

The room began to fill with the sound of the sonic and the sound of the door being broken down.

As the door splintered an orange and red swirling tunnel began to form on the wall.

The Doctor turned back to Martha, who was still cowering against the cubicle wall and grinned.

"Another time Martha Jones, and next time, wear something more alluring." With that he stepped into the swirling tunnel and seconds after he and it disappeared, the door to the ladies room flew inwards.

* * *

Jack paced up and down the waiting area in A&E, occasionally looking up as a nurse or a doctor walked towards him.

"Sit down Jack, she'll be okay. They just want to check she's not in shock," Gwen said.

Jack didn't stop pacing. "If he's hurt her..." he growled.

"Captain Harkness?" a voice called.

Both Jack and Gwen looked up, as a person walked towards them.

"How is she?" Jack asked.

"Miss Jones is fine, a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. She can go home, but should rest for twenty-four hours."

Both of them sighed with relief and smiled when Martha walked out of the treatment area door.

"Thank God!" Gwen said and enveloped her in a hug.

Martha let out a shuddering breath, then a sob. She drew away from Gwen and turned to Jack, who wrapped his arms around her.

"He's back...he's back...and he's insane," she sobbed into Jack's chest.

Jack held her tighter and looked over at Gwen.

Gwen stopped breathing for a second; she saw the look on Jack's face. It was a mixture of sorrow and anger.

Jack held onto Martha, his thoughts a maelstrom of emotions...happiness that the Doctor wasn't dead...anger at what he'd done to Martha, and sorrow for what he still may have to do.


	6. Chapter 6

White Coat was not happy, not because his property had once again slipped his leash, but also that it had to do it in such a public place. It puzzled him as to what had caused it. He could only think of one thing, it must have come into to contact with someone from Torchwood.

Torchwood...he really should destroy them. It was something he would address later, but first he had to find and retrieve his property.

That in itself was proving difficult what with all those police swarming over the store, but the readings he was getting were unmistakable, his property had used a rift portal. This meant he could be anywhere or any when, and this concerned him. His property knew every weapons store and every research facility within his little empire.

He let out a breath of frustration, if he didn't find his property soon, it would be too late, and that left only one option. He had no doubt that his psychotic property would come after him, once he'd settled its score with Torchwood.

He was glad now that he'd not given it access to his latest invention, to put that much power into the hands of something that was that deranged frightened even him, he was a greedy bastard, but not a stupid bastard. If it did try to access it, there would be no need for him to do anything.

He smiled to himself...using a sample of human DNA as the code to unlock it had been a stroke of genius. Even better, to whom the DNA belonged was something he was quite proud of, and he was sure his property would never guess who it was.

Feeling a little more secure, he turned away from the incident and stepped back inside his limousine.

"The airport, now," was all he said.

* * *

"No, you're coming back to the Hub. He came after you once he'll come after you again. If you're here we can contain him," Jack said.

Martha was looking at him, her arms crossed, a stubborn look on her face. "If you think I'm hiding Jack Harkness. I faced one psychotic Time Lord, I can face another."

Jack stared back at her, his face set in an equally stubborn mask. "Absolutely not, if the police hadn't turned up, god knows what he might have done. The Master was one kind of crazy, the Doctor is another. You stay here, even if I have to tie you down."

Martha let out a frustrated breath, not wanting to feel like very tiny bait in a trap for a big monster.

Jack relaxed a little when he saw Martha let out a resigned sigh. It wasn't that he wanted to use Martha as bait, but he didn't have a choice. He gave Martha an assuring smile.

"He won't get near you, I promise. I know it's not the most comfortable place, but you'll be safe here."

Martha nodded and yawned, the events of the day finally catching up with her.

"You can use my quarters," Jack said. "I'll be in my office, Gwen, Ianto, you know what to do. Find him. "

He turned away and climbed the steps to his office. It wasn't until he'd shut the door and locked it did he finally let go of the tight rein he'd had on his emotions.

He sank to the floor, allowing the tears he'd held back to flow freely. He'd been desperate to find the Doctor, find him and make him forget all the things that had happened.

Now he had to face the awful truth...his Doctor, although no longer infected by that thing, he was still as mad as a rabid dog...and he knew what you had to do with a rabid dog.

Silent tears ran down his face and eventually he cried himself into tiredness and was lost to sleep.

* * *

The figure slipped past the camera with ease and scaled the wire fencing, carefully avoiding the vicious spike that adorned the top. The figure landed quietly, but knew that the dogs would hear him.

Seconds later three dark shapes came running round the corner, no noise, trained as they were to bite first and bark later.

The figure stood his ground and straightened to his full height and stared at the trio of over-large Rottweiler's.

The lead dog slowed and hesitated, unnerved by the eyes of its target. What it saw made it stop and start to back away, its two fellows doing the same. With frightened whimpers they slinked back round the corner and hid in their kennels.

With a growl of satisfaction he strode across the scrap yard, heading for what looked like a small metal shed. But the figure knew better, he knew what and who was here.

He entered the small shack and moved to the centre of it, before crouching down and taking out a silver tube. There was a short whirring sound and the dark was lit blue for a few seconds, and a metallic 'shunk' filled the air.

The figure climbed down the metal ladder and into a sewer. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and hurried along it, trying not to think about what might or might not be in the water.

He slowed as he reached the end of the sewer and moved cautiously into a large room. He needn't have worried, the occupant of the room was snoring so loudly, he could have driven a herd of elephants through and he wouldn't have heard.

He walked up to the sleeping pile of bedclothes and leaned over, putting his mouth right next to the ear of the sleeper.

"Wake up, little toad," he whispered and stepped back.

* * *

The effect to his mind was rather amusing.

The occupier of the bed shot up looking round wildly, peering into the dark. "Wha...who!"

"Hello little toad," a voice said and someone stepped out of the shadows.

The occupier of the bed grabbed a pair of glasses up from off the bedside cabinet and placed them quickly on. When he saw who it was, he clutched at his bedclothes and whistled loudly.

"I wouldn't bother, they've got a new master now. Now little toad, you have something I want," the figure said and reached for the person on the bed.

With a squeak of protest the occupier of the bed was hauled out of the bed and deposited onto a chair in front of a PC screen.

"I need some cash and information little toad, and you are going to get it for me."

"My name is Archer, and shouldn't you be asking the boss for this."

He was rewarded by having his head smashed against the keyboard. "If I say you're a little toad, then that's what you are. And as for the boss, let's just say I've gone freelance. Now cash and a little information, little toad."

* * *

Archer breathed a sigh of relief when he'd finished, hoping that the transfer of cash and the removal of certain information would go unnoticed be both parties.

The figure behind him smiled as he watched the transfer and gave Archer a grin that wasn't at all comforting when he handed him a disc.

"Thank you little toad, I'll let you get back to your sleep, oh and..."

He grabbed a handful of Archer's t-shirt and pulled him right up to his face. "You will tell no-one about this, if you want to sleep at nights."

Archer nodded vigorously.

"Brilliant," the figure smiled. "I'll be seeing you then."

Archer didn't move, not until he could no longer hear the sounds of feet splashing in the sewer. Once he knew he was alone, he nearly fell out of his chair with relief.

No-one survived a meeting with White Coat's pet without some sort of injury. He should be thankful for that, but it puzzled him as to why he was going independent.

"Time for me to find new employment," he said and started packing his bags.

He climbed the metal ladder and moved outside into the scrap yard.

He'd only gone a few yards, when he heard the familiar growl of his guard dogs. He turned towards them.

"Fat lot of good you were..." he began, but his words were cut off by one of the dogs leaping at him.

* * *

The figure stood on top of the pile of rusting and broken cars. He saw Archer emerge from the metal shed and smiled coldly as he watched the dogs do what they were trained to do.

"You should have stayed in your sewer, little toad. Still you had your uses, and this looks like the perfect place for a little fun. Now, how do I attract your attention Harkness?"

His face lit up when the idea came to him and he took out the silver tube and seconds later the humming noise filled the air again. He settled down in the remains of a car seat and waited...it wouldn't be long.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a UNIT deep space satellite that sensed it first, moving slowly across the black velvet of space. The satellite whirred as the onboard camera began taking pictures.

The onboard computer made its calculations and decided that whatever it was, it couldn't exist. It had no mass, no weight. No light shone from it and it swallowed the stars in front of it and left nothing in its wake.

But being a computer it did as it was programmed to do and began transmitting its findings. It didn't panic when the thing that had no mass or weight swallowed it and its transmission stopped.

The thing that had no weight or mass carried on, slowly and steadily devouring stars, and began heading for a cold ball of rock... Pluto.

* * *

The alarm was as unexpected as it was loud and it brought both Jack and Martha out of their exhaustion fuelled slumber.

They both arrived in the central hub at the same time, which was bathed in red light.

"What the hell is going on!" Jack yelled above the alarm, whilst Martha held her hands to her ears.

Grimacing Jack reached over and killed the Rift Activity alarm. "Ianto, have more aliens come through?"

Ianto scooted over to one of the screens. "No, but the Rift, it's been activated...wait a minute, that's not right. It's been activated over a scrap-yard on the old docks. It's owned by one Archer Jameson...that's interesting. Archer Jameson suspected fraudster, counterfeiter and is number three on the CIA computer hacker's list. He's clever, but he couldn't trigger a Rift."

"Could this be where the refugees are coming from?" Jack said, trying to make sense of the readings on the screen.

Ianto shrugged. "Could be, but I don't think it has anything to do with Archer Jameson, he's a loner and dealing with aliens is way out of his league."

Jack straightened and let out a long breath. "Still, it won't hurt to take a look."

Ianto nodded." I'll transfer this to a hand held scanner, that way we can keep track of it."

Jack nodded. "Make sure you're armed. Whoever's running this little refugee racket might not be happy to see us."

* * *

He was incredibly bored and becoming increasingly irritated. It wasn't that far and his head was really starting to ache. He began to wonder if he should have gone back to the mansion he'd shared with the man he'd thought was his father and stolen his medication.

Then he thought about it, what if the medication was causing his headaches...yes that was it. He smiled to himself, when he'd finished with Captain Harkness and Co he would find White Coat and...

His train of thought was broken when something else broke into his mind...something powerful and...empty? His mind was suddenly filled with a dark nothingness and that feeling again of madness and chaos.

He shifted in the car seat and the car it was half attached to began to rock dangerously. He stood up and looked up at the sky...something was out there, he could feel...something was coming.

The feeling was gone as quickly as it came as he was distracted by the sound of a vehicle pulling up.

"Finally," he snarled and scrambled down the scrap pile.

* * *

Jack and Ianto stepped out of the SUV and walked up to the locked gates.

"I don't think we have to knock," Ianto said.

Jack smiled and reached out, gingerly touching the gates. "No charge," he said and then began climbing the gates, followed by Ianto a few seconds later.

They jumped the last few feet and took a few seconds to get their bearings.

"I thought there'd be dogs at least," Ianto commented.

"Don't wish for what you don't want," Jack replied. "Let's go find Mr. Jameson."

After a few minutes they came to small metal shack, but it seemed empty.

"Perhaps he doesn't live here," Jack said, looking round at the untidy mess that filled the shack.

"No, he definitely lives here," Ianto said.

They both turned when they heard a noise.

Jack gestured for Ianto to go left, whilst he went to the right of a pile of scrap.

Neither of them saw a shadow flit from one pile of scrap to another.

"Pretty boy," the shadow hissed and once again melted into the shadows.

* * *

Jack stopped when he heard the noise again. It was somewhere in the shadows of a pile of rusting cars. Approaching slowly, he narrowed his eyes and saw something moving on the floor.

It coalesced into the shape of a person, and the sound became a groan of pain.

He was over at the person's side in two strides, discovering it was a man, the aforementioned Archer Jameson no doubt. He looked like he'd been attacked by wild animals...no, more likely dogs, which were conspicuous by their absence.

He was surprised to see the man open his eyes and then look straight at him and try to say something.

Jack had to lean forward to hear what the fatally injured man was saying.

"You have to..."he began, but then his eyes widened. "No..."

Jack heard a sound behind him and was in the process of turning, when the lights went out.

"Later Harkness," a voice said. "I have a promise to keep."

* * *

Ianto skirted round another pile of junk. He was beginning to think the sound they'd heard was nothing but a piece of scrap falling somewhere in the yard.

He was about to move again when someone stepped out in front of him, and he found he couldn't move.

"Hello again," the figure said and lunged for him.

Ianto tried to break the hold the Doctor had on him, but once again underestimated the Doctor's strength.

"Please stop struggling, you're starting to annoy me, and I really don't want to damage that pretty face of yours, well, not yet anyway," the Doctor hissed as he dragged Ianto towards the gate of the scrap yard.

"What have you done with Jack?" Ianto asked, his own temper starting to rise.

"Oh, he's just taking a little nap. He said to go ahead without him, he'll join us later," the Doctor replied, a hint of a promised something Ianto didn't like in his voice.

He stopped and pushed Ianto against the gate. "Now, how about a little something you promised far too long ago."

Ianto closed his eyes, expecting the worse, but it never came as the ground shifted under both their feet.

"What the...!" the Doctor said, having to take a step back to balance himself, as the ground once again shifted, more violently this time.

Ianto opened his eyes as the ground shifted...it couldn't be, an earthquake in Cardiff!

In another part of the yard a voice was shouting in a panicked tone down Jack's earpiece.

"Jack, can you hear me, please Jack, answer me...Jack, it's Pluto...it's gone!"

* * *

_**I will be on holiday from Friday as will my beta reader, so this will be the last chapter posted until the 8th of August. Sorry for leaving you a cliffhanger.**_


	8. Chapter 8

The ground shifted again and the air filled with a metallic groan. The scrap pile nearest the gate swayed and started to collapse.

Ianto and the Doctor stared at the swaying pile of metal, but they reacted in different ways.

Ianto sprinted away from the gate, skidding to a halt when he thought he was far enough away, whipping round to see where the Doctor was.

The Doctor however seemed rooted to the spot, as if daring the metal to fall on him, a less than sane grin on his face.

Ianto went to shout a warning, but stopped, a not so good thought running through his head...wouldn't it be better if he was dead?

His thought was interrupted by the sound of the Doctor climbing the gate. He dropped effortlessly to the ground.

"Later, pretty boy," he growled, smiled that insane smile and headed towards the SUV.

Ianto suddenly smiled and put a hand in one of his pockets. "Go on, try the door...please," he said quietly.

The jolt when it came still made him jump and the thud of the Doctor hitting the floor a few feet from the SUV made him wince. He quickly ran back to the gate, climbed it as quickly as he could, and slowly approached the fallen Time Lord.

Definitely out cold, but for how long was another matter. "Then don't waste time," Ianto said out loud and dragged the dead weight of the Doctor back over to the SUV. He took out a set of handcuffs, ones he knew would deadlock once closed.

He snapped one cuff round the Doctor's wrist and the other to the handle of one of the SUV doors.

"Stay," he said and once again climbed the fence and began searching for Jack and tried to ignore the feeling that something Doctor- shaped had happened to him.

* * *

Jack thought he heard his name being called, but it sounded muffled, like he was underwater. Then like he'd surfaced too quick, his ears popped and he heard the voice clearly...it sounded like Ianto, and the muffled effect had been the hissing of his comm in his ear.

"Jack!" he heard Ianto call again. He sat up and a sharp pain in his head told him it wasn't a wise thing to do.

"Over here," he finally managed to say, and a few second later Ianto appeared over a pile of cars and rusting exhausts.

Jack frowned. "They weren't there before," he said absently.

Ianto held out his hand and hauled Jack up. "That'll be the earthquake," he said.

"Earthquake, what earthquake?"

"The one that happened about ten minutes ago."

Jack shook his head. "I was out cold, didn't feel it. We don't have earthquakes in Cardiff."

"Well it was one, well it felt like one. All the comms are down, landlines and mobile. But there's something more important Jack," Ianto said.

Jack looked at Ianto. "What?"

* * *

Jack looked at the handcuffed figure, still thankfully out cold. He couldn't believe it, after three months of hopeless searching...he was back. His heart should be soaring, but instead it was sinking.

This wasn't the Doctor that he wanted...this was a twisted broken version, just a black hole, void of any of that spark and joy of life he loved so much.

"How did you?" he asked as they maneuvered the still unconscious Time lord into the back of the SUV.

"Anti- theft device, I upgraded to include rouge Time Lords. I don't know how long he'll be out," Ianto replied as he re-cuffed the Doctor to the metal bar designed for such a purpose.

Jack said nothing, but checked the cuffs and then checked the Doctor's pulse. He then joined Ianto in the front of the SUV.

"So, you said something about an earthquake?"

* * *

The scene was like something you saw on the news. Buildings had either collapsed or were dangerously teetering to one side. The wail of emergency vehicles filled the air and the taste of smoke bit at their throats as they stopped in front of a barrier.

They weren't surprised to see a UNIT soldier approach the SUV.

"Sorry sir, but the city's out of bounds, it's a mess in there."

"Sorry, I need to get inside, I have a prisoner to deliver," Jack said.

"Sorry, but you'll have to take him somewhere else," the soldier replied.

"Oh I don't think so," Jack said and flashed his ID at the man.

The soldier paled slightly and snapped a salute. "Sorry sir, but be careful, the roads are broken up and there's gangs of looters."

Jack nodded. "Any idea of where the epicenter of the quake was?"

The soldier frowned. "You don't know, I think you better speak to the Colonel."

Jack looked at Ianto, then at the still unconscious Doctor. "Alright, but we have to be quick. I really want to get this prisoner locked away before he comes round, and I have my own people to worry about."

"We can guard him while you're busy sir."

Jack thought for a moment. "Fine, but if he wakes, don't talk to him, don't let him talk to you, and don't let him persuade that it's all a mistake. In fact, if he tries to talk, gag him."

"Yes sir!" the soldier and motioned for a stationary jeep to move. "Follow me."

* * *

Colonel Mogambo still couldn't believe the data she was reading...it wasn't possible. Pluto was gone, swallowed by what looked like a black mass. What was even more impossible was that it was heading for Neptune.

UNIT scientists had hazarded a guess that Cardiff had felt the destruction, due to the temporal rift that ran under it. Pluto was too far away to have any effect on Earth, but if this thing started devouring other planets, planets closer to Earth, then what.

Then god forbid, what if it targeted Earth, or went straight for the sun.

She looked up when someone knocked on the door of her temporary office. "Come," she said.

"Ma'am, there's a Captain Jack Harkness outside, do you want to speak to him."

She smiled, at last, someone who might be able to contact the one person who might be able to help. "Yes, yes, show him in."

She stood up and let a small smile cross her face as the aforementioned Captain Jack Harkness stepped in.

"Thank god, I need your help, can you contact the Doctor?"

She frowned when she saw the look that passed between the captain and another man.

"That maybe a bit of a problem."

* * *

The Doctor had surfaced about thirty-seconds after Jack and Ianto had disappeared in the colonel's office and he was not happy.

"You will let me out of these things!" he yelled at the soldier, who completely ignored him.

He began kicking the door, buckling the metal slightly in his anger and frustration at being ignored.

He only stopped when he saw three people emerge from the office, and then he started again when he saw who it was.

"Harkness, you let me out of this thing, or so help me..."

"See, I don't think he's going to be helping anyone."

Colonel Mogambo looked at the frankly insane person kicking hell out of the door of the SUV.

"Then who the hell is going to help us."

* * *

The thing that had no mass, no weight glided silently across the velvet blackness of empty space, swallowing stars as it went...but it never felt full.

It had touched briefly on something so tasty as it had passed by this little start system, that it had changed its course.

It wanted more than just a taste...it wanted to devour it.


	9. Chapter 9

The argument could be heard clear across the small compound that housed the temporary UNIT camp.

"You can't stop me, I have people in there!"

"I'm not stopping you, but you have to leave the Doctor behind!"

"Not a hell's chance of that happening. He comes with me, like it or not!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't let a clearly insane alien loose into what is already chaos!"

* * *

The two soldiers guarding the Doctor, who was now handcuffed to a more solid piece of metal, tried hard not to listen to the argument.

"You know, that would stop if you just undid these cuffs and let me go," the Doctor said.

The two soldiers ignored him as they were ordered to.

"Really, if you just let me go...after all, you just want to go and see if your families are okay," he said softly.

One of the soldiers looked round and was going to tell him to be quiet, when he realised he wife had been out on shopping trip with her mother...he wondered if they were all right.

"You do, don't you," the Doctor said. "She could be out there, injured or..."

The other soldier turned. "Shut it, don't listen to him," he said to the other soldier.

"How about you?" the Doctor said, looking directly at the one who had told him to shut it. "You're...sister...at the hospital...was she there?"

The man shook his head as an image of his sister lying trapped under rubble flashed through his head.

"If you let me go, then you can go and see...I won't tell," the Doctor continued his voice low and soft, barely audible amongst the noise of the camp.

"You've got the keys," one of the guards said. "Let him go, I have to know if Ruth's okay."

The other guard frowned. "Yeah, my sister, she was at the hospital," he said and took out a set of keys, and walked behind the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor smiled as the guard undid the cuffs, he knew those mind tricks Koschei had taught him back in the Academy would come in handy...humans, they were so easy to trick.

He flexed his wrists as the cuffs were removed and he stood up, rolled his shoulders and moved away from the chair.

"Thank you and you know, why don't you go now," he said and stepped towards the two soldiers and touched them lightly on the forehead.

He moved past the two men, who never moved a muscle as he walked away from them. He took one look over at the office where the argument was still going.

"Argue until the Daleks come home, I'm going to find Miss Jones and Miss Cooper."

As he walked away, he felt that feeling again...something was trying to touch core of his soul and the feeling was darkness and chaos.

Blinking the feeling away, he disappeared into the rubble and smoke of the city.

* * *

"This is getting us nowhere. If you insist on taking the Doctor back to Torchwood, at least let me give you an escort. He's slippery at the best of times, you'll need more than two sets of eyes," Colonel Mogambo said.

Jack went to reply, but Ianto put a hand on his shoulder. "She's right, this is going nowhere, and there's more than the Doctor going on here. That wasn't an earthquake, was it?" he said looking at the colonel.

Colonel Mogambo sighed. "No, it wasn't an earthquake, let me show you something."

Jack had to look at the fuzzy image twice. It looked like a huge black cloud, looming up on the lens of a UNIT deep space probe.

"What is it?"

"We have no idea, all we know is this was transmitted just before we lost contact. We're not worried about the satellite. Captain Harkness, this earthquake wasn't caused by the tectonic plates moving, it was caused by Pluto disappearing. It wasn't planet wide, thank god, but we think it was felt here because of the Rift."

Jack took a few moments to digest the colonel's words. "This thing, where is it now?"

"According to only other satellite, it's heading for Neptune...it's eating everything in its path, stars, meteorites, asteroids, anything."

"Any idea of where it's heading?" Jack asked, although he already knew the answer.

"If it keeps going along the same trajectory, its heading straight for us and the only person that might be able to help is currently the raving lunatic handcuffed to one of my chairs. Do you think he'll tell us anything?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Doubt it, he far too gone."

"Unless we stroke his ego," Ianto said.

"Explain," Jack said.

"If we tell him that he's the only one who can save us, what with us being stupid apes and all, he might just let something slip."

"That might work, what harm can it do," Jack said. "What do you say colonel?

Colonel Mogambo looked at them, then at the fuzzy image on the screen. "Well, it can't get any worse."

They stepped out of the office and found themselves looking at two immobile soldiers and one very empty chair, a pair of handcuffs sitting neatly in the place a Time Lord had been sitting.

Jack and Ianto looked at each other and both knew what the other was thinking.

"Martha!"

* * *

Martha grimaced as she straightened Gwen's leg. "Sorry."

Gwen forced a smile. "It okay, just really painful. Did you get through to anyone?"

Martha shook her head. "Nothing, the quake must have knocked everything out. We'll have to wait for them to find us."

Gwen let out a short gasp as Martha tightened the dressing again. "It's bad, isn't it, and don't lie Martha."

Martha hesitated. "Yes, it's a compound fracture; it's partially torn an artery, your bleeding to death I'm going to have to pull it straight. I can't get to the med-room, so this is going to be painful, really painful."

Gwen nodded."Just do it."

Martha nodded. "On three, one...two...three," and she pulled.

Gwen let out a scream of pain and passed out.

"I'm really sorry," Martha said and tried her best to cushion the leg, but she knew if help didn't come soon Gwen would be beyond help.

* * *

The Doctor picked his way across the rubble of what was once a church. He hoped he was heading in the right direction, it was hard to tell, what with most of the normal landmarks either fallen or nothing but rubble.

The acrid smell of wiring and other things burning were causing his eyes and throat to burn. He could hear sporadic gunfire and the shouts of what were no doubt looters and UNIT soldiers.

"Sometimes a little chaos is good for the soul," he said out loud. "Now, which way is the right way?"

He was about to move when that feeling came back again, and this time it came back with painful force.

He let out a startled cry, stumbled, fell to his knees as his mind was filled with...darkness, chaos and hunger?

Something was coming...and it wanted him!

With a supreme effort he struggled up, his head full of nothing but the dark and the chaos.

"No!" he cried...he had to get away...had to run...he needed...what did he need...he needed the TARDIS.

* * *

White Coat looked up as someone burst into his office.

"Sir, we've found him, he's in the quake zone...he's in Cardiff!"

White Coat smiled. "Excellent, get my shuttle ready. What is the status of the other problem?"

"Still moving this way sir and it's closing in on Neptune."

"Then we'd better hurry. Give the order for evacuation, contact our clients, and tell them that if they want to survive, they should leave now."

White Coat waited until the man had gone, then he let himself smile. It hadn't quite gone to plan, but no matter. Soon he would have his property back, and they would be in another galaxy.

"Well at least I'll be rid of a certain Captain Harkness," he smiled to himself. "Now, where did I put that device?"

* * *

The thing with no mass or no light approached the first of the moons of Neptune and devoured it as if it was nothing.

It was very hungry, and these little planets were not enough to sate its hunger. It could feel the one it wanted, stronger now. It had had a taste...back when the planet it wanted to devour had been destroyed and it wanted more...it wanted to devour it whole.


	10. Chapter 10

The thing that had no mass or no light approached the little planet and began creeping over the edge of it, when it hesitated. The tasty thing it wanted had felt it...and it felt its panic.

It turned away from the little planet it was going to devour and set itself a new course, straight for the blue and white ball in the far distance, and the tasty thing it wanted.

* * *

Jack didn't stop to see if Ianto or the small group of UNIT soldiers were keeping up with him. He was in a race of his own...no a race against the Doctor.

Leaping over a large piece of rubble he skidded round a wrecked car and picked up his pace again. It wasn't easy finding his way back to the Hub; there were no discernable roads, only rubble strewn valleys.

He could hear the sounds of people running behind and knew that the others must somehow be keeping up with him. The fear of the psychotic Time Lord reaching Martha and Gwen before him had curdled his insides.

He'd started scrambling up another pile when he thought he heard a cry in a familiar voice. He slowed and climbed the pile of rubble more cautiously, not wanting to alert the owner of the voice to his presence.

He peered over the edge of the rubble and was relieved to find it was the owner of said voice. But he was also tense, knowing that he had had to face the unpredictable Time Lord.

Oh well, he we go, he thought.

His element of surprise was lost, when he accidently kicked a piece of rubble as he climbed down.

* * *

The Doctor fought back the chaos and the darkness and the incessant hunger of whatever it was and slowly climbed to his feet. He froze when he heard the sound of falling rubble, someone or something was behind him.

He whirled round and saw the one person he had no desire to talk to descending the pile of rubble.

"What do you want Harkness? I am rather busy," he snarled, already moving off in the direction of the hub.

"What do I want, oh let me think? How about Cardiff not being in ruins, not having to run around looking for a psychotic Time Lord, oh and a dirty great big something that likes eating planets heading our way!"

"That's nice, not sure what that's got to do with me, I'm just here to get my TARDIS and of course visit the delightful Miss Jones. I take she is inside the Hub?" the Doctor said, no more interested in what Jack had said, than he would have if an insect had buzzed past his ear.

Jack didn't quite know how to react to that. He'd expected to find himself being strangled by an angry Time Lord, but instead all he got was diffidence...something didn't ring true, he was hiding something.

"What, not interested in something that might be better than you, after all, no-one's paying attention to you are they?"

The Doctor looked at Jack, narrowed his eyes. "Don't think pandering to my ego is going to work. I really must be going, I don't want to end up as..." he bit off the last few words.

"I knew it, you think that things after you!" Jack exclaimed. His mind raced as to how to turn this to his advantage, this could be risky but...

"You really think you're that important. Why would anything want you, you're poison."

He stopped when he saw the scowl form on the Doctor's face and then cloud with the beginnings of anger.

"You know, I was going to let you go, what with more important things to do, but since you insist on dying today."

With an inarticulate snarl the Doctor lunged for Jack.

* * *

Martha could feel herself dropping of, she'd tried really hard to stay awake, but the events of the last two days had caught up with her.

She'd just about got over the clearly still insane Doctor's attack and was about to venture her help in finding him, when the world had turned upside down.

"Martha!" she heard Gwen shout as she hung on for dear life to the nearest solid object.

The ground was shifting and the hub was falling apart.

She looked up when she heard Gwen cry out and cried out herself when she saw the concrete pillar start to collapse, and Gwen disappear under a cloud of rubble and dust.

Now she was sitting on the ruined floor of the Hub and Gwen who was thankfully unconscious was slowly bleeding to death beside her.

She felt useless and helpless, and wished that someone, anyone would rescue them.

She jumped when she heard footsteps somewhere above her. "Oh thank god, down here!"

But when she saw who it was, she wished she'd kept quiet.

"Hello again Miss Jones," the man in the white coat said and smiled.

* * *

Jack tried to go with the impact of the Doctor as he steamrollered into him, but he couldn't get a good enough purchase on the rubble strewn ground.

He fell backwards, landing heavily, the full weight of an incensed Time Lord on top of him.

"Are you ready to die again Harkness," the Doctor snarled right next to Jack's ear and without warning sank his teeth in Jack's neck.

Jack let out a cry of surprise and pain, and anger flooded through him, giving him extra strength.

"Not today," he grunted

He grabbed hold of the lapels of the Doctor's coat and heaved, managing to flip him so that he was underneath. He stared hard into the Doctor's eyes, hoping to see a spark of sanity, but only wild dark orbs looked back at him.

"Stop it!" he said, pushing down with all of his weight. "Just stop it, you're in there somewhere!"

The Doctor answered with a growl and tried to knee Jack in the groin, but Jack had the advantage of weight and purchase.

Jack could hear shouting in the distance, it must be Ianto and the UNIT soldiers.

"Over here!" he yelled, still pushing down hard to keep the Doctor from moving.

"Let me go Harkness, so I can snap your neck," the Doctor snarled.

Jack said nothing, just tightened his hold on the squirming Time Lord under him. He heard the sounds of feet on rubble and the familiar voice of Ianto.

* * *

Seconds later the Doctor was restrained by three of the UNIT soldiers, who had to hold him painfully tight to keep him from breaking free.

"Are you okay?" Ianto said, looking over at the still enraged Time Lord, then back at Jack, who was holding a hand to his neck.

"Did he bite you?" he scowled and before Jack could stop him, he walked over to the still struggling Doctor and landed a right hook to the Doctor's face. He grabbed the Doctor by the hair and whispered in his ear.

"That's for biting, next time I'll remove your teeth with pliers and no anaesthetic," he whispered in his ear.

He'd expected the Doctor to flinch at the threat, but the Doctor began laughing, an insane cackling.

Ianto scowled and leant back, wanting to punch him again, but his arm was stopped by Jack.

"No, he's not himself, we have to move, and we're in no position to deal with looters as well as him. The Hub is just over there, we need to find Martha and Gwen."

Jack looked over at the remaining UNIT soldier. "Go back and tell the colonel we've gone back to the Hub. Tell her we have him secure and when we have comms back we'll be in touch."

The soldier saluted and began making his way back over the ruined buildings.

Jack put a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "I don't blame you for hitting him, but believe me, if you hit him again, you'll have to answer to me."

Ianto nodded, recognising the threat in Jacks' voice.

"Right, let's find the ladies. Bring him, if he refuses, carry him," Jack said to the three soldiers.

* * *

The plaza was a patchwork of crazy paving and fallen buildings.

"This is going to take more than sticking plaster," Ianto said as they picked their way across.

Jack nodded his eyes never still, keeping an eye on the piles of rubble and also on the little group in front of them.

The Doctor had thankfully stopped struggling and seemed to be coming along meekly enough, but Jack knew that was a bit like trusting the eye of a hurricane to be the end of the storm.

"Is he beyond help?" Ianto said.

Jack sighed. "I don't know."

They stopped talking as they approached the Hub. Jack motioned for the soldiers to wait with the Doctor.

They had to clamber over fallen columns and the ruined interior of the small shop that was the front to the Hub.

"Martha? Gwen!" Jack called, but there was no answer.

"Perhaps they got out," Ianto said.

Jack went to reply, when there was the sound of weapons being armed.

"Actually, Miss Jones and Miss Cooper are enjoying my company," a voice said.

Both Ianto and Jack turned.

* * *

White Coat stood a few feet away from them, three very dead UNIT soldiers held in the arms of three oversized guards, and one very unconscious Doctor in the arms of another.

"Hello again captain, Mr Jones. Would you care to join Miss Jones and Miss Cooper? Take them to the shuttle."

Jack could do nothing as he was dragged away. Once again the Doctor was in the hands of someone who wouldn't care if the Doctor was insane...he'd lost him again.

The last he saw of the Doctor before he was bundled into the shuttle was of him being placed gently into the front of the shuttle, and then the door to the cargo bay was shut.

* * *

The thing that had no mass and no light was moving with incredible speed. It now had a permanent fix on the tasty thing and was hurtling towards the blue and white ball that it was on.

It was so hungry, and it had felt such energy in the taste it had had...it knew that once it had devoured the tasty thing, it would be hungry no more.


	11. Chapter 11

Jack allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cargo bay. He could sense the presence of the others. It could only be Martha and Gwen, but he wasn't going to speak, not until he was sure. If it was Gwen and Martha, then one of them didn't sound at all well.

Before he had chance to speak, Martha's voice came out of the dark.

"Jack is that you? Please let it be you," she said in a shaky voice.

"Yeah and Ianto too," he said softly.

"Oh thank god, he found us...White Coat. They dragged Gwen...she's hurt bad Jack."

"It's okay, she's tough," Jack said.

He heard shuffling and he felt someone's hand on his leg. "He didn't hurt you?"

"No, but I think we just got in the way. He's got the Doctor again, hasn't he?"

"Yeah."

Martha let out a small laugh. "With any luck he'll tear White Coat to pieces."

Jack was about to reply when thumping sounds and muffled words came from the front of the shuttle.

"I think he's woken up."

* * *

"Hold him down!" White Coat bellowed as he tried to place the needle against the snarling figure.

He swore when it was knocked out of his hand and he was slammed against the wall of the cockpit.

"Get this thing landed!" he roared as he searched the floor for the syringe.

The shuttle suddenly dipped downwards as the pilot tried to steer the shuttle whilst avoiding the arms and legs of the two guards who were trying to subdue a madman.

* * *

The shuttle landed with a thump and White Coat bellowed. "Get the doors open!"

Jack and the others sat still as they felt the thump of the shuttle landing and listened to the sounds of the struggle.

Then the hiss of the bay doors opening drowned out the sounds and they were dragged out and the sound of the struggle returned.

"I said hold him still!"

Jack couldn't see the struggle but he knew what was happening. The Doctor must have come round and was not a happy Time Lord.

There was cry of pain from someone, not the Doctor and the sound of running feet and then to Jack's and the others horror, the sound of gunfire...just one shot, one shot that sent chills through the three of them.

"No..." Jack breathed then White Coat's voice rang out.

"You bloody idiot, I said no weapons, put it in a cell."

Hey heard no more of the conversation as they were dragged away, not knowing where they were taking Gwen and if the Doctor was alive or dead.

* * *

Steven James sat himself at his desk and sighed, another boring night looking at the same piece of boring night sky. He'd gotten the short straw again, the graveyard shift.

He was about to go for his third cup of coffee when the monitor beeped at him...he frowned; it had never beeped at him before.

He peered at the screen and his eyes widened in surprise at what he saw and picked up the phone.

And that was how the chaos began...

* * *

White Coat watched the world panic. It seemed he had found and taken his property off Earth just in time.

The news channels were full of riots and people fleeing cities for a refuge that would be of no use. There would be no escaping the thing that was heading towards them. Whatever it was, he was glad they would soon be elsewhere.

"You know they are just like rats, all clambering to reach the ship that isn't sinking," he said to himself and turned away from the observation window.

He walked out of the small observation room and back towards the medical bay of his personal cruiser.

The smell of antiseptic accosted his nostrils as he approached the row of beds. He walked by the one that contained the Cooper woman. He'd only repaired her injuries because she could be sold as an exotic slave and would fetch a handsome price in the slave market on Pamisus Seven.

He had other plans for Martha Jones and Ianto Jones would come in handy as a pacifier for his property, if he could ever get him under his control again.

The fate of Captain Harkness was another matter entirely, that was something he would have to think on.

His only interest was the figure in the padded cell at the other end...his property.

The medic that was attending his property moved away as he approached. He really wasn't happy about the state of mind his property had been in when he'd come round nor the bullet wound to its head.

He sighed and stared at the figure inside the cell.

"Pity," he said aloud. "We could have done so much together, your knowledge and my power and money. But what do I with you, you're too valuable to let go and too valuable to dispose of. I can't even use your DNA anymore, not since the virus spread too far. Still, I suppose I will find a use for you. Now I have to decide what to do with your friends, nothing but problems."

If he'd bothered to look at the figure properly, he would have noticed that the figure seemed to be dreaming.

* * *

Chaos, there was nothing but chaos and panic and...fear. If he was dreaming, it was a very vivid dream.

He was standing on a small rise and he saw the inhabitants of Earth running in fear from something, but what?

He looked up at the sky, it was dark, perhaps a little too dark, and was the darkness moving? But something else caught his attention; the people were looking at something behind him, but not looking at the darkness.

He turned to see what they were looking at and what he saw frightened him.

He saw himself, silhouetted against the darkness and he was laughing as the people ran.

"No, this can't be!" he cried and tried to look away, but found he couldn't.

His other self saw him and laughed again.

"Do you like it, all these stupid little apes running from you, running from the Chaos? Run little apes, the Chaos is hungry!"

His other self grinned insanely and his laughter chilled the Doctor to the bone. How could this be...how could it be here? He thought it was long gone, destroyed in the final days of the Time War!

But what frightened him the most was how he'd become part of the Chaos.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack had struggled right up until the guard had threatened to snap Ianto's neck. Now they were sitting on the floor of a very small cell unsure of what their fate would be.

Ianto voiced what they were both thinking. "Do you think he's dead?"

Jack looked at Ianto, but didn't answer.

"Perhaps it's better if he is."

Jack glowered at Ianto. "No, no matter what he'd done, he's not well. If he was human we'd be thinking about treating him, not killing him."

"Jack, you're blinded by your feeling for him. He's tried to kill me twice, and then he went after Martha. You've killed people for less."

"He's not just people Ianto, he's the Doctor and I am not going to kill him."

"Then you have to take the consequences if he isn't dead," Ianto said and they lapsed into silence.

* * *

The Doctor looked on in horror as his other self walked slowly off the small rise he'd been on.

Below him thousands of people were running...but not fast enough.

The Chaos slowly and inexorably descended.

The Doctor looked away as the screams of thousands were cut off as they were devoured...but he knew their torment wouldn't end there...oh no, that wasn't how the Chaos worked.

"No, no, no!" he cried and fell to his knees. A dull steady pain echoed through his head.

"No, I can't...won't!" he screamed.

That wasn't a dream...it was his future. He felt the other him laugh at the prospect of the destruction he could reap upon not just the Earth, but the whole of existence.

"No!" he cried and tried to block out the laughter.

He couldn't allow this...why would he.

'Why!' he cried out, not expecting an answer.

He did get an answer in a flash of golden light and a voice echoed round his mind...the TARDIS.

_'See what you have allowed_,' the TARDIS said.

He recoiled in his mind as images flashed by, the pain... the heartache...the deaths caused by allowing the madness to overtake him.

_'What have I done...I have to...that's not my future_!'

_'Then change it, stop it before it consumes you. You know how it works, you know what must be done_.'

'_Sacrifice_.'

_'Yes, sacrifice_,' the TARDIS said a sad tone to her voice. '_Sacrifice_.'

He opened his eyes then and gone was the insane darkness, replaced by sad resigned tears...sacrifice.

* * *

The medic that had been attending to White Coat's property looked up as he heard a banging on the glass wall.

He was surprised to see the patient standing at the glass, grinning at him inanely, blood running freely down the side of his face with what looked like the dressing from his head in his hand.

Thinking only about what White Coat would do to him, he rushed into the cell...which proved to be a mistake.

"I'm sorry...well actually, no I'm not," the Doctor said and dropped the bloody dressing next to the unconscious medic.

He wiped away the smear of blood and stepped out of the cell, locking it behind him.

He had things to do, people to rescue, weapons to destroy...and time was short.

* * *

Gwen thought she heard a voice, somewhere in the distance. She struggled through the fog of pain killers and sedatives and turned her head to see where the voice was coming from.

Hers eyes widened in fear when she saw a tall figure in a pinstriped suit bent over a computer terminal.

"That isn't right, not right at all. Why did he do that...why her!" the figure said, then hit the keyboard in frustration.

Gwen tried to move and let out a gasp of pain, which caused the figure to turn and move over to her.

"Gwen Cooper," the Doctor said. "I'm sorry, so sorry."

Gwen let out a weak cry of panic and fear when the Doctor produced a scalpel and passed out when he sank it into her arm.

* * *

The Doctor smiled as he'd broken through White Coat's supposedly hacker proof firewalls. He now knew the exact location of every piece of weaponry that he had, plus the one that he really wanted to destroy...and he knew exactly how he was going to do that.

What horrified him was the locking device on the weapon's system...the use of human DNA, a specific person's DNA. That saddened him and made him angry at the same time, yet another person who was going to suffer because of him.

Yet another sin to atone for...but if he did this right then he wouldn't be the only one seeking forgiveness for past sins.

He blinked away the thought as he put pressure on the wound he'd inflicted on Gwen. He carefully dressed the open wound and looked at the phial of blood.

"Let's hope this works," he said.

* * *

White Coat had finally decided what he was going to do with his property. It wasn't an ideal solution, but if he couldn't control it, then he couldn't allow it freedom.

He didn't notice anything particularly wrong when he stepped into the med-bay, except for the absence of the medic.

He let an annoyed breath, discipline had fallen alarmingly in his absence. Then he noticed that the Cooper woman was missing.

Then he noticed a discarded used phial and syringe and his heart began to race slightly. Then he saw the lit up terminal. He hurried over to it and stared incredulously at the screen.

"Not possible, no-one can ...unless..."

He hurried over to the cell at the end of the room and yanked open the door, finding not his property but a still unconscious medic.

"No," he growled and hit the red button on the wall.

* * *

The wailing of an alarm alerted Jack and Ianto to the fact that something was not right and they both scrambled up and pressed against the cell's small window...someone was coming.

They both jumped back when the Doctor's face appeared at the cell window, eyes wide and face flushed.

"Jack, Ianto," he said and they could hear the sound of a sonic screwdriver being used.

Jack pushed Ianto behind him as the Doctor stepped into the cell.

"Stay away or I'll..." Jack began.

"Really Jack, there's no need for violence, it's me...the real me I mean...no, wait, the sane me," he frowned, unsure if he'd said the right thing.

Jack narrowed his eyes and moved tentatively forward.

"Jack don't," Ianto warned, but he was ignored.

"Doctor?" Jack said and moved as close as he dare, looking into the Doctor's eyes. His heart soared when he saw nothing but chocolate brown soulful orbs looking back at him.

The Doctor looked away and bowed his head. "I'm sorry, I hurt you...I never would have..." he trailed off.

Jack smiled, his heart now flying, his Doctor was back. "It's him Ianto, it's him," he grinned and engulfed the Doctor in a hug.

There was groan from behind the Doctor and the Doctor disentangled himself from Jack.

"Ah yes...there's something I have to do and there's something I have to ask you to do."

Jack stepped back and looked at Ianto, then back at the Doctor and his heart sank again and as the Doctor began to speak the wailing of the alarm faded into the distance.


	13. Chapter 13

"To hell with that, I am not leaving you!" Jack yelled.

"I really don't have the time to argue with you Jack!" the Doctor snapped back, acutely aware of the wailing alarm.

They were carrying a semi-conscious Gwen down the corridor towards another set of doors.

The Doctor had handed the sonic to Ianto. "Open the door with this," he'd said ignoring the glare he got from Jack. In his mind he could hear the TARDIS.

_'He is worried, he sees this as suicide, he does not understand.'_

_'I know, but I cannot blame him. To get me back and then thinking he's losing me again.'_

_'He will understand'_

_'Perhaps, have you found Martha Jones yet?'_

_'She is below us, she is unguarded.'_

_'Show me where?'_

An image of Martha in an unlocked room flashed through his mind, and then an image of the shuttle bay followed.

_'She is there, next to the shuttle bay. They can escape.'_

_'Good, then I will finish this, the Chaos cannot be allowed to live.'_

_'There is no other way...sacrifice'_

* * *

The Doctor said nothing in reply but spoke instead. "Martha's on the next level. There's a room next to the shuttle bay, it's unlocked, she's in there."

Ianto opened the door and handed the sonic back to the Doctor and helped Jack with Gwen into what was an elevator.

Jack had just about got inside the elevator when the door began to shut. He turned and saw the Doctor pointing the sonic at the door, a look that said a thousand words on his face.

"No!" Jack cried and moved, but the door slammed in his face.

The Doctor looked at the closed door, his hearts aching with the guilt at the hurt he was causing...once again. He felt the tickle of the TARDIS in his mind.

_'It is time,'_ the TARDIS said.

* * *

White Coat strode down the corridor, a group of guards behind him.

"When you find my property, shoot to disable, not to kill. As for the others, shoot to kill."

"Yes sir!" they chorused and split off into pairs.

White Coat smiled, this time his property would not escape, even if he had to make sure it never walked again.

* * *

Jack pounded on the door of the elevator as he felt it go down. "No, no, no, bring this thing back up!"

"Don't bother, I don't think he's listening," Ianto said. "We have to find Martha and get out of here. I think he's going to do something...explosive."

Jack whirled round, his face full of anger. "You'd like that, wouldn't you," he snarled. "You've always been jealous of him. You can't stand the fact that I can't love you like I do him."

Ianto didn't react to the words, knowing that he was hurting and lashing out at the nearest person.

"Jack, he did this because he loves you. Don't make him regret it. We have to take Gwen and Martha and find somewhere safe until this is over."

Jack scowled at Ianto but said nothing as the elevator pinged and opened. Oh, he'd find Martha, but there was no way he was going to let the Doctor commit suicide. He'd waited too long and gone through too much to let the Doctor slip away from him again.

As the door opened he let Ianto carry Gwen through first and then pushed the close button.

Ianto didn't turn, knowing what Jack was going to do.

"Bye Jack," he said and placing Gwen gently on the floor, he walked towards the smallest door in the corridor.

* * *

The Doctor stood for a few moments, listening to the sound of the elevator moving. He knew Jack would be climbing the walls to get out. He took in a deep breath, blinked and shook himself...time to move.

_'You must hurry, the Chaos is approaching Earth' _the TARDIS reminded him.

_'Yes, yes, but I go to get to the chamber first. I need that weapon.'_

* * *

Steven James couldn't see the point in running, that thing, whatever it was, it was big enough to swallow the Earth whole. He looked through the lens again and frowned, had the black mass stopped? Yes it had, it seemed to motionless, like it was waiting, but waiting for what?

He would have phoned someone, but who could he have phoned, there was no-one there to answer.

He looked again, yes it was definitely not moving, it looked like a predator waiting for its prey to move closer. Why was it waiting?

* * *

White Coat strode along the corridor, two of his guards behind him. He was heading towards the chamber, something told him that was where his property was heading. He knew his property had the key, but would he know how to use it.

He really needed to get there before he tried.

* * *

The Doctor hurried along the corridor, his target only a few feet away now. He could feel the human DNA trying to mix with his own. He knew he couldn't let it stay inside him for long, his body would soon reject it and it would be useless.

"Door, door, which door?" he said to himself as he was faced with three doors. "If I could only remember."

He let out a frustrated breath, why couldn't he remember. "This isn't fair!" he cried.

"Life rarely is," a voice said behind him.

He whipped round and there was his nemesis, a smug smile on his face and two guard with weapons aimed at him.

White Coat smiled as he saw his property startled expression.

"Did you really think it would that easy to gain access. You may have the key, but you don't know which door it fits. A clever idea don't you think, using Miss Cooper's DNA. I assume you've ingested it, so your time is limited, your body will start rejecting it soon. Oh don't look so surprised, I know how your body works almost as well as you do. Now come away from the doors and you can take your rightful place."

Anger took over from the Doctor's surprise. "What, as your prize pet? I don't think so. I think the answer is behind door two!" he yelled and dived, hand outstretched.

"No!" White Coat shouted as the Doctor's hand thumped on the panel by the second door, and rushed forward as the Doctor turned the dive into a perfectly executed Arabic and landed

"No!" White Coat shouted once again and sprinted towards the open door, squeezing through, just before it slammed shut.

"Doors sealed, automatic emergency ejection in progress," a voice rang out.

White Coat steady himself as the whole chamber shuddered...the weapon, it was moving.

"Looks like it's just you and me then," the Doctor said and stepped away from the control panel.

White Coat looked out of the small observation window, then at his property in horror. "What have you done!"

"Atoning for my sins and yours," the Doctor said.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack tore down the corridor following the vibrations of the floor under his feet...something was moving, something big.

He skidded round a corner just in time to see a large glass panel slowly lowering into place. But it wasn't the glass that took his attention it was the sight of a huge sphere detaching itself from the rest of the ship.

Gut instinct told him he had to get on that thing and he took off again and dived, the panel scraping his back as he slid under it. Letting out a gasp of relief, he rolled over and found himself in what looked like an airlock, and the feeling of motion vibrated under his back.

He scrambled up and moved to what was most likely the only door in or out. There was only a small window, but it was enough for him to see the one thing he didn't want to see.

The Doctor and White Coat, standing only a few feet apart, only a small panel between them.

He could see the look on the Doctor's face and he didn't like it, not one bit. He hammered on the window, hoping that they would hear him, but neither man looked in his direction.

"Doctor!" he yelled and hammered on the window.

* * *

White Coat looked past the Doctor and stared at the large dark mass that was hanging above Earth. It dawned on him what his property was going to do.

"You're going to use this against that thing, it's not designed to destroy whatever that is!"

The Doctor gave him a half-smile. "Who said anything about using this thing to destroy it? There isn't a weapon powerful enough to destroy that, not anymore. This is a means to an end, a way in."

White Coat paled slightly. "You can't fly this thing into that, it eats planets for god's sake, and I for one am not ready to die," he said and pulled out a gun.

The Doctor's expression never changed. "It really wouldn't be a good idea to fire that would it. I know what this thing is made of. I know all the defence mechanisms. One shot and it'll have your hand off with the lasers. So put that away and accept whatever fate awaits you."

White Coat blinked and realised it had been an act of complete hubris on his part. He really shouldn't have believed he could control such a powerful alien. Now, it looked like he was going to pay the price, but he wasn't done yet.

"Do you really think you know all the workings of this weapon? You may have found the key to getting in, but you don't know what the key is to controlling it. This weapon won't activate without the right key."

The Doctor smiled once again. "Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea. You seemed pretty keen to get me back, well the insane me. I think the key is me."

The Doctor held up his hand and nestled in his palm was what looked like the skeleton of a cycling helmet with needles and wire attached to it.

"I think this the control and if I plug myself into it, I can control this weapon, what do you think?"

White Coat said nothing, but was staring past the Doctor. "I think we're dead."

The Doctor turned...the Chaos it was moving towards the sphere.

* * *

Jack couldn't hear the conversation, but he could guess. Anger had risen along with panic when White Coat had produced the gun, then consternation when he saw the Doctor hold up some sort of device.

Then he'd seen what White Coat had seen and he couldn't believe his eyes.

The black mass was huge and it was moving towards them and it seemed to be twisting and moving with a life of its own.

"Doctor, let me in!" he screamed, hammering his hand against the glass, but both men were focused of the dark mass that was approaching.

* * *

"I've never seen a thing like that," White Coat said, his scientific mind for once overtaking his thoughts.

"I have and you really don't want it here," the Doctor said. "It's called The Chaos, well my people called it that. It comes from a time we called the Dark Times. It's dangerous and mostly unstoppable."

"Mostly unstoppable?" White Coat said.

"My people found a way, but it obviously didn't destroy...he obviously wasn't strong enough," the Doctor said, a sad tone to his voice. "Guess it'll have to be me after all."

With that he placed the device on his head and for a few seconds nothing happened.

White Coat stepped back, he knew what was about to happen and he didn't want to get accidently caught.

The Doctor felt the coolness of the metal on his brow and stood waiting for the thing to power into life. Nothing happened and he frowned and was about to remove it when something akin to fire blazed through his mind.

This weapon was powerful he thought, but then he felt something else...something much older...much more powerful and it was an all consuming darkness...the Chaos!

* * *

Jack could nothing as he watched the Doctor place the device on his head. He too watched as nothing happened at first and then began hammering on the glass again when he saw the Doctor go rigid.

Then sudden realisation flashed through him, he had an energy pistol, the glass maybe bullet proof, but it may not be laser proof.

Standing back against what was now the outer lock he aimed the laser and fired.

The results were spectacular as the glass bent and shattered and the door exploded inwards.

Only White Coat reacted, pedalling backwards, away from the ruined door.

Jack rushed in and flew straight for White Coat, flooring and landing a solid punch to his jaw.

"Stay," he growled and turned his attention to the Doctor.

The Doctor had become completely rigid, as if he'd frozen in place, a look on his face that Jack could only describe as fear.

"Doctor!" he cried and ran over and reached for the device.

He got within an inch of touching when the floor moved under him and he was knocked off his feet. The sphere seemed to shudder and then it started to creak and groan.

Jack caught something in the corner of his eye and tearing his eyes away from the Doctor, he looked towards the large window at the front...and he took a physical step back.

The dark mass was engulfing the sphere...no it was actually penetrating the sphere, small black tendril appearing like wisps of smoke around the edges of the window.

Tearing his eyes away from the sight, he turned back to the Doctor...then his heart almost stopped.

Black tendrils were wrapping round the Doctor, curling around him like some smoky octopus.

"No," he whispered and stepped forward, but was stopped by what felt like an invisible hand. But it wasn't the hand that sent chills through him; it was the voice that came from the Doctor's lips.

"You will not touch the Chaos."


	15. Chapter 15

Jack took another step back as more of the black tendrils wrapped themselves around the Doctor.

"You will not touch what belongs to the Chaos," the Doctor's voice echoed with a hiss of something that wasn't human.

Jack stopped moving and his panic was replaced by anger and indignation. "Oh no, not this time," he said and once more advanced towards the Doctor.

"Hey, whatever you are, he doesn't belong to you, he doesn't belong to anyone!" he said angrily and only stopped when he was inches from the Doctor.

He tried not to wince at the sight of the black tendrils as they twisted around the Doctor. He looked into the Doctor's eyes.

"Come on Doc, I know you're in there somewhere, fight this thing."

The Doctor looked back at Jack, but there was no spark of recognition. They were dull and lifeless, only wisps of black flickered through them.

The Doctor stiffened again as the thing inside spoke once more.

"The Chaos has come, darkness shall fall, and the fears of the living shall become alive."

The black tendrils suddenly became more solid and encased the Doctor, and Jack was forced to step back as it began to solidify and harden. Crackling sounds filled the air as it became a solid mass, turning into what could only be described as a cocoon.

Jack swallowed hard. This wasn't good, not good at all.

* * *

The darkness that was the Chaos wrapped itself round the tasty morsel, hungrily licking at the edges of its soul. It could feel the power, almost taste it...so sweet and desirable. It could feel it resisting its calling, but soon it would not be able to resist and all that sweet tasting power would be the Chaos's and it would feed on the whole of time and in all the dimensions.

* * *

Ianto had managed to get both Gwen and Martha into one of the shuttles. He settled himself into the pilot's seat and then realised he didn't have a clue how to fly one. He thumped the front of the controls in frustration and then jumped when the controls came to life and the engines started.

Of course, the Doctor, he must have pre-set the shuttle. He sat back as the shuttle moved; there was nothing he could do to stop it. Wherever they were going, it must be somewhere safe.

"Be safe Jack," he said as the shuttle left the cruiser and set off on its pre-set course.

* * *

Jack walked round the solid black cocoon that had surrounded the Doctor. He reached out and touched it tentatively. It felt warm to the touch and somehow alive, and there were sounds coming from it, sounds of something or someone moving.

"I know you in there fighting Doctor. I'm here for you."

* * *

The Doctor felt like he swimming in warm tar and he was drowning...no suffocating. He could feel something at the edge of his mind...the Chaos.

He knew what it was doing. It was trying to find a weak spot in his defences so it could consume him.

_'Let me in_,' a voice whispered, soft and persuasive.

The Doctor mentally shook his head and tried to shore up his defensive wall. Pain shot through him as the Chaos squeezed his physical body.

_'I could kill you and take what I want, but what use is a corpse to me_,' it said. _'Join with me and you could have all you wanted_.'

Images flashed through the Doctor's mind, Gallifrey in all its glory, his family, smiling and walking in the snows on Mount Perdition.

_'You could be with them again, the Time Lords restored. Join with me and it will be.'_

_'No, what is past is past, it cannot be undone_,' he replied.

Pain shot through him again and this time another image flashed through his mind...Rose!

_'No, this isn't real_!' he cried.

_He saw Rose sitting on a bed, her back turned to him, she was weeping and they were not tears of joy. He turned when he heard footsteps and Jackie walked into the room._

_"Oh sweetheart, what has he done this time," she said and sat on the bed. "Let me see."_

_He let out a gasp when she turned and he saw the bloody mess that was her nose._

_"Why does he hate me mum!" she sobbed._

_'You left her with a monster, when she could be with you,_" the Chaos said gently.

"_Rose," _he whispered and his defences faltered.

The Chaos saw the gap and took its chance and poured through the gap...it belonged to the Chaos now.

* * *

Jack hadn't moved in what seemed an age when he was distracted by White Coat letting out a groan and sitting up. It was then that Jack moved and not giving White Coat chance to protest he dragged him to the nearest chair and handcuffed him to it.

"I have somewhere nice and cold waiting for you," he snarled.

He was about to say something else, when a loud cracking noise filled the air. He looked round and his eyes widened.

The hard cocoon that was surrounding the Doctor was beginning to crack and was falling away.

Jack moved back over and watched.

At first he could see nothing, but as the hard casing fell away he could make out the form of the Doctor. Soon the shell lay in black shards at the Doctor's feet.

"Doctor?" Jack said as there was no sign of movement from the Time Lord.

The Doctor let out a long breath and Jack waited, expecting to see his Doctor come to life. When he did eventually speak it froze Jack's heart.

"The Chaos has come, darkness shall fall, and the fears of the living shall become alive."

Jack took an involuntary step back as the Doctor's eyes opened and brown eyes with flashes of black looked back at him.

"All shall fear the Chaos and all shall feed the Chaos. There is so much fear and I am so hungry."

"No!" Jack cried and without thinking pulled out his gun. "I can't let you have him!" he sobbed and with tears falling freely he pulled the trigger.


	16. Chapter 16

The sound of bullet hitting flesh ripped out Jack's heart and the blood that flowed from the wound tore at his soul. He dropped the gun and ignored it as it clattered to the floor. He made to step towards the Doctor who had fallen to his knees.

He only managed a few steps when the Doctor rose from his knees. To his horror and shock the wound that had ripped open the Doctor's chest began to move and close, leaving only a blood stained hole in his clothing.

Jack went to move back but found he couldn't, he was being pulled forward by unseen hands until he was only inches from the Doctor and looking directly into eyes that were now almost black.

"You cannot kill the Chaos, I am eternal...even his people knew it as they tried. Chaos rules," the thing that inhabited the Doctor hissed.

Jack stared back into now cold eyes. "No...I won't believe that," he managed to say.

Cold eyes looked at Jack and then narrowed as if whatever was inside was thinking. "You think that he is still inside, hiding, waiting. Think again human."

Hands were suddenly clamped around Jack's head and his head was filled by a screeching that stretched and shattered his nerves, and then darkness took him.

* * *

Ianto had watched in horror as the sphere that had detached itself from the rest of the ship was swallowed by the darkness that hung in space. He knew it should be impossible, but he swore he could feel the malevolence radiating it from it.

He was distracted by the sound of movement behind him. He looked round and saw that Martha was coming round. He looked forwards again and to his shock the darkness was gone.

"What the...!" he said and scanned the whole area, it was gone, there was nothing but the stars and the Earth.

* * *

Steven James rubbed his eyes, he must be seeing things. He looked once more, no he wasn't seeing things. The darkness was no longer hovering over Earth.

He frowned, where the hell had something that huge gone?

Then the floor underneath him shifted and he looked not into the telescope, but out of the window...now he knew where it had gone.

On the hill that rose above the observatory stood three figures.

It wasn't the figures that drew his attention; it was the mass of blackness that hovered in the sky. No wonder he couldn't see it in the heavens, it was here.

* * *

Jack fought to regain his balance as he felt the metal surface of the sphere disappear beneath him and uneven earth replaced it. He blinked as dust swirled around him and he took several seconds to for him to get his bearings.

The first thing he saw was the Doctor. His back was turned, his body still wreathed in the black tendrils of what called itself the Chaos.

He turned slightly and saw White Coat and started when he saw him edging away. He only made it a few feet when he was stopped in his tracks and was dragged back by unseen hands.

"It is futile to run, the Chaos will consume all."

Jack breathing quickened as he realised that the voice of the Chaos was becoming more like the Doctor's, as if it was entrenching itself deeper into the Doctor's psyche. He had to do something and quickly.

He inched closer to the Doctor, whose back was still turned, but stopped when the Chaos spoke again.

"Tell me Jack Harkness...oh immortal Jack Harkness. Surprised I know your name, I know all that he knows. Tell me Jack Harkness, what would you do to save this little world? I can be reasonable, it is only tiny and their lives are fleeting and their fears will only feed me for a little while."

The Doctor turned to face Jack. "We could come to an agreement."

Jack stared at the Doctor, but spoke to the Chaos. "What kind of agreement?" Fear gnawed at his stomach, he wasn't that used to negotiating with Time Lord possessing entities.

"I will spare this world, this small galaxy if you allow me to keep this body."


	17. Chapter 17

Jack hadn't expected to be bargaining for possession of the Doctor's body, so the statement had caught him off-guard, but he knew what his answer would be, knew what the Doctor would want... so do the opposite.

"Why would I choose that over my own planet, he's an alien, why should I care?"

The Chaos, he called it the Chaos now blinked, as if the answer was unexpected. "You care not for the one that occupied this body?"

"Why would I care, he's nothing but trouble, you wouldn't have come here if he wasn't here. He's been nothing but a pain the ass since I met him."

The Chaos seemed to stop for a second as if digesting the words that had come from Jack's mouth.

Jack narrowed his eyes, if he was right and he prayed he was, then things could get very interesting.

The Chaos looked at the human in front of it; it hadn't been expecting that answer. It had seen the memories stored in this body's mind...this did not feel right...a ruse!

"Liar!" it suddenly hissed. "You would do anything to save this body. If you insist on laying games, then let us play."

Jack stepped back as the world around him seemed to shift and change. He could see shapes forming and with increasing horror he could see where he was...Game Station Five.

* * *

Ianto was helping Martha into one of the seats when the shuttle lurched. They both tumbled to the floor and they both quickly scrambled up and rushed to the front of the shuttle.

"We're heading towards Earth, we shouldn't be heading towards Earth," Ianto said.

Martha looked out of the window. "Never mind Earth, what the hell is that!"

Ianto looked in the direction she was pointing. Looming large was what looked like something out of a science fiction film.

"That wasn't there before," he said, sitting down in the pilot's seat. "This thing was on automatic, it shouldn't have changed."

"Well it has now, look," Martha said.

Something was opening on the side of the object and the shuttle was heading towards it.

"Perhaps this is where it's supposed to go," Ianto said hopefully as the shuttle was swallowed by the blackness of the inside of the object.

"Wherever this is, I don't think we have a choice," Martha said. "I think it's here or nowhere."

As if in answer to her statement the shuttle landed with a soft bump and the doors hissed open.

They both turned when Gwen groaned.

"We need to get her somewhere more comfortable, then we can think about where we are."

They had just stepped out of the shuttle and were moving Gwen when a voice rang out that made Martha's blood freeze.

"Search all level, find the humans, find and exterminate!"

* * *

"No, this isn't real!" Jack breathed as he turned round in a circle.

The Chaos stood a few feet away an amused expression on its hosts' face. "This place, this time, it has meaning for you and this body does it not. This is the place where you became immortal, where he changed. So many needless deaths, I know you are lying. You would do anything to save this body from me. Perhaps I can persuade you...all this can be erased, all those lives can be spared, and the enemy can be erased from existence. All this I can give you, and all it takes is for you to be truthful and let me take this body."

Jack took a step closer to the Chaos. "Why is it so important that you have my permission? If you're powerful enough to stop all this, why do you need my say so?"

Then it struck him, could it have something to do with the link between himself, the Doctor and the TARDIS? Was it possible that the link was stopping the Chaos? Or was the link between them giving the Doctor a fighting chance?

That thought made hope rise in his heart once more, was the Doctor still inside somewhere, trapped in a battle of wills with this thing?

If he was, then he had to do everything he could to help him, even if it meant relieving painful memories.

"Fine, I lied, but I'm never going to let you have him."

The Chaos looked at Jack and he shuddered involuntarily, those black eyes seemed to look right into his soul.

"That is another lie. This body would not let you...you need more persuasion?"

Jack didn't like the sly look that crossed the Doctor's face...what was this thing going to do now?

"There are others you care about, are there not?"

Jack blinked as the air between them seemed to shimmer and then he didn't blink, didn't breath as he saw three familiar figures emerge from a doorway.

* * *

Ianto stepped out into the corridor, it seemed to be clear of those metal things...what had Martha called them...Daleks.

He stepped back into the shadows of the doorway and seconds later emerged with Martha and helping to carry a semi-conscious Gwen.

He looked over at Martha and saw the fear on her face.

"They're gone, the next level I think."

Martha shook her head. "We shouldn't be here, I know what this place is now...we really shouldn't be here," she said in a quiet voice.

"Where are we?" Ianto said and when Martha didn't reply he asked again. "Martha, where are we?"

Martha looked over at Ianto. "Ianto, this is the place where Jack became immortal."

Ianto took in a sharp breath. "This is Game Station Five?"He looked at the metallic walls and the bright lights with a sense of trepidation. "We shouldn't be here."

Martha looked around nervously. "Well we are, something's brought us here. Whatever it is, it's tampering with time and that means..."

* * *

"You're causing a paradox, they shouldn't be here," Jack whispered as he watched the pair help Gwen along the corridor. "How can you do that?"

The Chaos said nothing, but moved closer to Jack and spoke in a soft voice that sounded too much like the Doctor's.

"They're lives for this body, it's a simple choice. I have seen into the memories of this body, seen its deepest desires. Tell me Jack Harkness, would you deny him the chance to be re-united with the one he loves, the one called Rose Tyler."

Jack looked at the Chaos, trying not to see the face of his friend. "He can never go back and even if he did, she's happy."

"Really, with a half-breed version of himself? I can give him what he wants, to be at her side and she can be at his, forever united, through me."

"You don't have that power..."Jack began to say, and then he trailed off.

"You think I cannot do such a thing, when I have brought you here. Perhaps this place is not sufficient to persuade...how about something future?"

The air shimmered around them again and as things swam back into view and he found himself inside what looked like an ordinary room.

Where are we, this isn't the game station?"

"No, it is not," the Chaos said.

Jack could hear voices in the distance, familiar voices.

Two figures entered the room. It was himself and Martha and they were arguing.

"You were wrong Jack, he told you what to do but you didn't. Now look where we are."

It was then the sounds of gunfire and other things began echoing around the room.

"We don't have much time Jack, they'll be through those doors in seconds. You have to do it."

"I can't, I really can't," Jack said.

Jack watched as they walked over to what looked like a large container, bathed in darkness. Martha pressed a switch and the container was suddenly illuminated.

Jack reeled back in horror at what he saw.

"You have a choice Jack Harkness," the Chaos said. "This future, all the things that have happened, will happen if you do not let me take this body. This is what the future holds for humanity and all life. I can stop this, it will never happen, all you have to do is say yes."

Jack stared in horror at the contents of the container...it wasn't possible, not after all the struggles and the deaths.

He started when the figure inside the container shifted and moved to the front and spoke to the future him and Martha.

The smile that crossed the face of the figure was a cruel parody of a smile he knew so well.

"They come for me, you have failed. A new race shall be born and we shall rule...the new Dalek Time Lord Empire will rule."


	18. Chapter 18

Martha was running, the metallic shrieks of the Daleks filling the air. She risked looking round and seeing one of the metallic monsters round the corner she increased her pace; she had to lead them away from Ianto and Gwen.

She skidded round a corner and seeing an open door she dived inside, pushing herself as far into the shadows as she could and holding her breath, whilst trying to calm her racing heart.

She tensed as she heard the whine of the Daleks' servos as it approached the open doorway.

She almost gave herself away as it stopped and she could hear its head swivelling. She was about to move when another Dalek spoke.

"All Daleks to Level Fifty, the Doctor must be exterminated!"

She held her breath as the first Dalek replied. "I obey."

The sound of the two Daleks faded, but still she waited. Her heart ached as she knew what was unfolding way above her, how her own future was being set in motion. No, she thought, think of now, they had to get off this place.

She stood up and before she could take a step, the space around her shimmered and she was somewhere else...somewhere...no not somewhere...no-where.

She looked round, there was nothing but darkness, yet, she felt like she wasn't alone.

Then she heard a voice.

"Martha."

* * *

Ianto guided Gwen into what looked like a side corridor. He hadn't liked the idea of leaving Martha to act as bait for the Daleks. He'd just settled Gwen, who was now beginning to stir and let out a groan.

Ianto placed a hand over her mouth. "Ssh, hush now," he said as he tried to listen for the tell-tale sound of a metal monster. What he did hear was the voice of the Daleks, they grated on his nerves.

"All Daleks to level fifty, the Doctor must be exterminated!"

Ianto's heart stopped, he knew what happened on that level, knew what it meant to Jack, knew the consequences, knew that he couldn't interfere.

"I'm sorry Jack," he whispered as the sounds of gunfire echoed.

He looked over at Gwen and frowned, was the air shimmering around her. He blinked and then he realised he wasn't on the game station anymore...it was dark and he was alone.

"Gwen?" he said into the darkness. "Gwen?"

There was no reply and he strained to see in the darkness, but he had the feeling he wasn't alone.

He jumped when he heard a voice come out of the darkness.

"Ianto."

* * *

Gwen groaned and opened her eyes, the lights must be out, it was dark. She shifted to try and make herself more comfortable. It was then that she realised that she wasn't on a hospital bed.

In fact she realised, she was in complete darkness, no not darkness, it was black. She felt round with her hands.

The surface felt solid, but that was no guarantee that it was. She tried to stand but a wave of dizziness made her go down again.

It was then that she got the distinct feeling that she wasn't alone. Then a voice whispered in the darkness.

"Gwen."

* * *

Jack watched as the figure inside the container raised an arrogant eyebrow as the sounds of battle became louder.

"You might as well take your weapons and destroy yourselves now. It will be a better death than that which will await you."

Jack watched as his future self ignored the figure and spoke only to Martha.

"Go now, find what's left and retreat to the bolt hole. You know what you have to do, use the key. Don't let them get this planet."

Martha nodded and leant in and kissed Jack. "Bye Jack," she said and moved away and disappeared out of the only other door.

The future Jack moved over to a panel on the wall. He entered what looked like a code. He turned back to the figure inside the container.

"You don't give me any choice, I'm sorry," he said.

Jack heard a hiss of air and looked back at the container. He watched in increasing horror as the figure in the container began to cough and fell to his knees.

The door exploded inwards, shattering his tunnel vision.

He whirled round and pedalled back into the shadows as very familiar shapes appeared through the smoke.

"Exterminate!"

The whiplash sound of a rake of laser fire filled the air and Jack flinched as he future self fell, his body momentarily light by a green hell.

Another rake of fire shattered the front of the container, and the figure inside fell forward, gasping for air.

The figure struggled to his knees and steadied himself on the Dalek that had killed the future Jack.

The figure drew himself to his full height and looked into the Daleks eyepiece. "Do you recognise me?"

The Dalek eyestalk moved for a few seconds. "You are the Doctor, you are our saviour. We await your orders."

The figure looked at the still dead body of the future Jack.

"Exterminate them, exterminate them all!"

* * *

Jack turned away from the scene and paled, the Chaos was gone, but a voice echoed in his mind.

"_You have a choice Jack Harkness, let me have this body, the power it contains and I will stop this, or you will have to finish what your future self could not...kill the Time Lord."_


	19. Chapter 19

Ianto had walked for what seemed like hours, or miles, it was hard to tell in the pitch black. He heard the voice once again, and this time it did sound familiar.

"Martha!" he called, once again trying to ignore the lack of echo.

He stopped and waited for a reply...yes, there it was again.

"Ianto, over here!"

He turned to his right and there, no more than a hundred feet away was Martha, also trying to find her way in the peculiar darkness.

"Martha!" he called again and sighed with relief as she altered her course and finally caught hold of his outstretched hand and hugged him.

"Where the hell are we?" she said, trying to peer into the darkness.

Ianto looked round. "I think and it's only a guess, I think we're inside that black cloud thing.

He looked round and grabbed Martha's hand.

In the distance, crawling towards them was Gwen.

They both ran towards her and helped her stand up.

"This place is bloody crazy," she said.

Martha nodded as she examined Gwen. She frowned as she lifted a tattered piece of dressing to reveal a red raw patch of skin.

Gwen looked at it. "I think," she stopped and swallowed. "I think the Doctor did that, he said he was sorry, but I don't know what for. Is he still insane?"

Ianto shook his head. "No, but he forced me and Jack to leave."

"Where is Jack?" Gwen asked.

"He wouldn't leave, he went after the Doctor. For all I know, they could still be on that ship."

"Or on the game station," Martha said.

"No, I don't think they are. In fact I don't think we were either."

Martha frowned. "You mean we were here all the time, inside this thing. The whole game station was a hallucination."

Ianto didn't reply, but looked round, peering into the darkness. "It's just a thought, if we're here, then maybe Jack and the Doctor are here."

Martha and Gwen looked at him.

"If they are, then we need to find them," Gwen said. "This place feels like hell."

* * *

Jack felt like he was in a living hell, physically and emotionally. He'd followed the Doctor and the small group of Daleks out of the room.

He'd purposely ignored the body of his future self.

The Chaos's words rung through his mind...kill the Time Lord or give him up to something that wanted to cause death and destruction. If those were the choices, then it was the most hellish version of Hobson's choice he would ever face.

He was dammed if he did and dammed if he didn't, and he was still wondering if any of this was real.

He didn't trust this thing that called itself Chaos...not an inch.

Although everything around him seemed too real, the bodies, the shattered building, the Daleks and worst of all, the Doctor.

He stopped when the entrance to the building loomed and the smell of thing burning reached his nostrils. He heard Dalek voices again and ducked behind a large statue.

"Orders are to find the remaining humans and stop them using the Osterhagen Key, the one known as Martha Jones is to taken alive. Our leader wishes to interrogate her."

"What of the one called Jack Harkness?"

"His is to be taken to the laboratory and all energy is to be extracted."

"I obey!"

Jack pressed himself against the statue and remained still as three Daleks glided past. He knew what was going to happen, they would find the bolt hole and that would be the end of it.

It made him sick to his stomach, the thought of what was going to happen to Martha, and at the hands of the Doctor, or what may have once been the Doctor.

When he thought it was safe he slowly moved away from the statue and began moving out into the corridor. He only made it a few inches, when a hand grabbed his coat and pulled him forward.

"I thought I told them to take you to the laboratory," the Doctor snarled.

* * *

Gwen was the first to spot the one person they really didn't want to see. "I don't believe, as if this place couldn't get any worse."

The others looked over to the spot she was looking at.

"No, not him," Martha breathed.

Only a few feet away and crouching on the ground was White Coat.

As they got closer they could hear mumbling.

Gwen let out a short laugh. "I hope he's suffering."

Ianto put a hand on Gwen's shoulder. "We have to help him, whether we like it or not. If we get out of here, he has to answer for his crimes."

Gwen huffed, but nodded. "You can deal with him."

Ianto stepped forward and nudged White Coat with his foot. When he got no response, he shoved harder and White Coat let out a startled cry and scrambled up.

"Get up!" Martha snapped. "If you want to save your arse."

When he wasn't fast enough Ianto hauled him up. "The lady said get up!"

White Coat straightened, but his eyes had none of his usual arrogance, they were haunted and shadowed.

"Looks like he's being punished already," Gwen said.

"Come on," Ianto said. "They must be here somewhere."

* * *

Jack was too shocked to struggle as the Doctor dragged him into the open.

"Never trust a Dalek to do a Time Lord's job," he growled. He hauled Jack up to his face. "You Jack Harkness have been a thorn in my side for far too long. It's time you stayed dead."

It suddenly dawned on Jack in a light bulb moment of historic proportions, that this couldn't be real. There was no way the Doctor would ally himself with his mortal enemy.

The Chaos had made a mistake, one he would take full advantage of. He knew what he had to do; he only hoped he had the ability to do it.

As the Doctor stared into his eyes, he reached out with what psychic ability he had and grabbed hold of the silver thread that was his link to the TARDIS.

* * *

The TARDIS felt and saw the silver thread that was the fixed point and through that saw the almost no-existent golden thread that was her Time Lord.

She also saw the dark thread that was slowly dimming the golden and she felt something new...she felt anger.

With indignant rage she grabbed hold of the silver thread and with a flash of her own lightning blue thread wrapped to two together.

She was going to fight for her Time Lord.


	20. Chapter 20

"Time to die," the Doctor snarled and reached for Jack's head.

An arc of silver blue suddenly crackled between them and struck the Doctor in the chest.

The force of it threw both of them back, and the last thing Jack saw before darkness descended was the Doctor hitting the wall opposite.

* * *

Martha stopped suddenly, causing Gwen to bump into her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Did you see that?" Martha said.

"See what?"

"The flash of lightning."

"Where?" Ianto said, pushing White Coat in front of him.

Martha pointed to her right. "In the distance, just a flash, but I think we should go that way."

"Why?" Gwen said.

Martha turned to Gwen. "I don't know, but it feels like we should."

"It can't do any harm, we not exactly getting anywhere," Ianto said. "Let's try it."

They'd only gone a few metres when the ground, if it was ground, shifted under their feet.

* * *

Jack came round with a start as a silver blue thread brightened in his mind. He blinked at the fact that he was no longer in a war destroyed future nor in the grasp of a Time Lord, intent on doing god knows what to him.

It took him a few second to realise that he was in a weird kind of darkness...he must be inside the black cloud...inside the Chaos.

A flash of lightning blue flickered to his right and he looked round and was up in an instant.

Standing a few feet away, rigid as any statue was the Doctor.

He was wreathed in silver blue that flashed and sparked as it made contact with skin.

Jack moved closer, but stopped when the Doctor's eyes fluttered open, only to reveal the blackness of the Chaos.

"What have you done?" it gasped as lightning blue flashed across the black.

"I took the third choice. You wanted this body, now you'll have to fight someone far more dangerous than me for it."

* * *

The Chaos looked into itself and saw a glimmer of something on the edges of its own existence. It saw something powerful...something as ancient as itself...something that was angry.

It hissed and returned its attention to the one thing it could do something about. "Harkness, you should have said yes, now your end will be painful and slow."

Jack stepped back as there was a crackle of energy and the silver blue was replaced by the inky black of the Chaos.

"You and your friends are in my domain now," it said and raised a hand.

Seconds later Ianto, Martha, Gwen and a still subdued White Coat appeared, next to a startled Jack.

The Chaos twitched a hand again and they fell to their knees, gasping for air.

"I know you have a link to his machine, you will sever it or they will die," the Chaos hissed.

It was so intent on it purpose that it didn't notice the darkness around it was brightening, taking on a lightning blue hue.

But Jack noticed, saw what the Chaos didn't, saw what was coming and began to laugh, not with amusement but in horror.

The Chaos frowned. "You find this funny, they are dying and you are amused?"

The Chaos then noticed the change inside its world...no, this wasn't possible, nothing was that powerful...except.

It turned and saw what was coming and with a snarl that was part anger and part fear it moved.

* * *

Jack watched helplessly as the Doctor hurtled forwards.

At the same time the others fell forward, taking in huge gulps of air.

Jack wanted to look away, but couldn't.

* * *

The Chaos collided head on with it and joined battle. It knew what it was fighting...the Time Lord's machine, all the power of the Vortex within it...the wolf within.

It grabbed hold of the snapping jaws and twisted, its aim to get the wolf on its back.

For a moment the eyes of the wolf and the eyes of Chaos met and there was a moment of stalemate...but only a moment.

The wolf growled a growl that seemed to come from deep within and it sounded like thunder rolling across distant plains.

The Chaos could feel the wolf's jaw tense and it felt it grip on them falter.

With a savage snarl the wolf broke the Chaos's hold on its jaws and whipped its head round, and sank teeth into flesh.

The Chaos screeched as it felt the burn of unlimited power and with an answering growl hammered its fist against the skull of the wolf.

The wolf let out a yelp and teeth tore away from flesh as it reeled from the blows to it head and yelped again as the Chaos heaved it away and it skidded along dark ground.

* * *

Jack had flinched as he saw the wolf...that impossible wolf sink its teeth into the Doctor's side and flinched again as flesh was ripped from his body as the wolf was thrown.

He wanted to stop it, but knew that he couldn't, knew this would have only one end...death for one of the protagonists.

* * *

The Chaos staggered back, dazed from the shock of the attack by the wolf. It knew it had to win this fight and win it soon, or it would have nothing to use as a host. It looked down at the ragged wound in its hosts side, saw the free flowing blood and exposed nerve and muscle.

A snarl focused its attention on the wolf once more. It gathered all the strength its host had left and with a snarl lunged for the wolf.

As they met in a clash of fur and flesh, sparks of blue mixed with black fizzled and crackled around them and soon Jack couldn't see the two for the sparks.

* * *

Deep inside the Doctor's mind a crack appeared in the darkness that was choking it and a small glimmer of gold began to show and began growing.

The Chaos felt it first, felt the searing heat of gold flashing through its consciousness, felt it overwhelming its dark self.

The wolf felt it next, but ignored it and pressed its attack.

The glimmer of gold suddenly became a flash of golden fire and the world around the struggling pair became incandescent.

The Chaos let out a screech of agony as the golden light seared through the black of its world and it thought it heard a voice that sounded like the howling of a storm.

The wolf yowled as it felt the golden light scorch its fur and it cowered at the voice that sound like the one that had mastery over it.

* * *

Jack had been watching the static and blinked when it began to change from the blues and blacks of the two combatants to a golden ball of fire and something else...and instinctively he knew he had to look away.

"Don't look!" he managed to yell at the others before his world turned brighter than the sun and he swore he heard a voice and then he heard no more

"Enough!" it howled.

* * *

Martha was the first to come round and was startled to find green grass under her face, not the darkness of the Chaos.

She sat up and she saw in front of her what looked like the dome of an observatory, they were back on Earth.

She looked round and saw Ianto and Gwen, but was not surprised when she didn't White Coat, just like a rat she thought.

She looked the other way and saw Jack, lying a few feet away and beginning to stir.

Then she saw beyond that and she paled. "No!

She was up and shaking Jack in seconds, who came round quickly.

"Wha...Martha?" he said slowly.

"Jack," she said and pointed.

Jack turned and he stopped breathing.

Not waiting for the others to come round, they dashed down the hill to what was a deep crater in the ground.

In the centre was the TARDIS, but it wasn't its normal faded blue, it was charred and scorched and smoke was billowing from the open doors.

But it wasn't the TARDIS that drew their attention; it was the figure lying a few feet away.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled and dashed over, expecting him to move and wonder what all the fuss was about.

But there was no movement, and as Jack slid to a halt, the smell of burnt flesh filled his nostril.

"No, please!" he cried and gently turned the Doctor over and was almost sick and he heard Martha make a noise behind him.

One half of the Doctor's face was burnt, the skin blackened and red raw flesh was showing through destroyed skin. The un-burnt part of his face was bloody and a half burnt, half open hole in his side was weeping blood and fluid.

"What have you done?" Jack whispered and he nearly dropped the Doctor when he opened his eyes.

"Doctor," Jack said, relieved that he was still alive.

But the Doctor didn't seem to know he was there. He was mumbling something and Jack moved closer to hear what he was saying and what he heard made his blood chill.

"Darkness, nothing but darkness, nothing but shades of darkness."

_**TBC in Shades of Darkness.**_


End file.
